A Different Direction
by GemmaLisax
Summary: I think I am happy; I have a perfect boyfriend, a perfect best friend and maybe even the chance of forever. Problem is, I didn't realise I was viewing life through a blindfold until it was roughly ripped off. AU and vamps galore.
1. Welp

**I had thought this story lost forever, until my amazing and oh so beautiful other half found it for me and emailed it through. And so, here I am, re-posting my first multi-chapter fic. I haven't changed it, it still holds the ever fantastic beta skills of Mynxi, and a special place in my fanfic writing heart. Hopefully it gets to stay up this time. Enjoy!**

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 _B~E~L~L~A_

My English essay was being uncooperative, completely useless at its assigned task of distracting me from my less than innocent thoughts. I glanced at the clock, 6:20pm. Shit, Edward was due in the next ten minutes and I was still sitting in my towel after my shower. Shutting my laptop, a little harder than was strictly necessary, I jumped up and made my way to my closet. Taking a moment to bask in the freedom of being able to choose my own clothes, I purposely bypassed all of the clothes that Alice had bought me and went for the Bella Special, a long sleeved shirt and nicely worn in jeans. Ah…the comfort.

My hair had dried naturally, all curls and waves; it was more than presentable after I'd pulled my brush through it a few times. I was mortified when I considered using the spray that Alice had bought for me…squealing something about making my hair shine and glow and all other kinds of rubbish that I tuned out quickly. Damn that little pixie is rubbing off on me. I shivered at the thought.

6:27pm, three minutes to go, Edward is nothing if not punctual. I rolled my eyes thinking about all the times that he had lectured me about the importance of punctuality. Honestly, the way he was talking you would think that it was the answer to world peace.

I was kinda looking forward to tonight, if I was lucky then Edward would want me all to his self, testing the boarders of his control…a past time that I was all too eager for. I'm a patient woman, if it takes a little time for my boyfriend to stop wanting to kill me every time we kiss, I can wait. The future benefits far outweigh the trouble to get there.

But if the stubborn ass would just change me, this wouldn't be a problem. NO…bad Bella, surely you're not thinking about the positives of becoming a vampire! Oh the horror!

Ok, Ok…so I am simply winding myself up about this. I tried to distract myself by wandering out to the porch. Didn't work though, same thoughts…different location.

The way I look at it is this; if he doesn't change me then my stellar track record of attracting danger, be it of the mundane or supernatural, would likely force his hand or just kill me. In which case I would haunt his sorry ass and make sure he suffered. Either that or if he doesn't see the light, I'm sure that I will be able to find some way to make it happen. I'm a resourceful woman…getting bitten in a house full of vampires shouldn't be too difficult.

Right on time I was greeted with a cool breath on my neck as Edward wound his arms around me from behind. I hadn't even realised he'd pulled up. Where the hell is my brain today?

"Good evening Love, ready to go?" Edward asked, punctuating his question with several light kisses down the length of my neck.

"Hmm, no…I think I would like to stay right here, for a while." I all but groaned out. He knows exactly what he's doing to me. Bastard.

He chuckled against my neck. "I am under strict orders to make sure you are there on time, Alice has something planned."

This time I did groan, and not in a good way. I hate being Alice's mannequin. It is during these times that Alice mysteriously stops understanding the English language; this becomes obvious as she blatantly ignores my pleas and starts yammering on about shading this and enhancing that, then depositing me into her closet and into whatever outfit she deemed fit that day.

This was something that I liked…no _loved_ …to avoid.

"What? Has she finally got a life sized version of the Barbie Dream House to complete the Bella Barbie collection?"

"Come now Bella, don't be mean. You know how much she enjoys doing this for you." Edward's tone had turned from playful to chastising. And it was not appreciated.

"For me? If it had anything to do with me then she would listen to me instead of steam rolling over me with everything that she thinks I should wear." I took a deep breath, calming myself. I didn't want to argue. Turning around in the chair so that I could look into his face I tried the simple approach; puppy dog eyes with a side of pleading. "Just tonight please, Edward? I was looking forward to spending time with you and the family as a whole. I can do the sisterly mannequin thing another time."

He stared at me for a while, obviously considering my plea. But Edward is a chicken shit when it comes to Alice. She's the only one in the family that can really get one over on him with out him knowing about it before hand. Therefore, any and all plans of my escaping such torture fall on Emmett. He is always up for a fight, one way or another. The only drawback to accepting his help means that I am drawn into a night of video gaming of epic proportions.

When his face became a composed mask and his crooked smile came out to play, I was on immediate dazzle alert. Of course, by the time it registered, it was always too late and I was nothing but a compliant pile of goo.

"She was so excited Bella, I promise that she won't have you to herself all night, ok?"

I had learned early on that there's no point arguing. I also knew that Alice had never been able to do anything like this, she has no human memories and Vampires are so drop dead gorgeous that they don't need make-up; with skin like

Teflon…nothing sticks. I sighed, resigning myself to a night of torture to appease my best friend.

Maybe I'll get a reprieve and be able to spend time with Esme or spend time debating with Carlisle. Even though they are physically less than ten years my senior, it is easy to see why they so easily fit into the parental roles that have been carved out for them. For me, it has given me a chance to experience hands on parenting, it's funny but I am more worried about disappointing them than my own parents.

Seeing my acceptance…all be it grudgingly, Edward smiled and kissed me. Chastely…can't possibly do anything more…no, that would be wrong, god forbid if he slipped me some tongue. Gah! Give me a vampire with a little more bite. Please!

The car ride was filled with the calming notes of Debussy, while I wondered what Edward would do if I snuck in a little Heavy Metal. Cry probably. I ended up lost in my thoughts, wondering if Jasper would be there tonight, standing on the edges, just watching. Jasper…well, Jasper…is just…Jasper. Gorgeous, sexy, Texan, he's a veritable bundle of tasty cowboy goodness that I just…fuck I just wanna lick him! He's always so quiet and civilised, but I know that there is a true bad boy hidden somewhere in there. I know little of Jasper's vampire roots, only that it was brutal and he is relatively new to the Cullen's diet of animal blood. He is the one that I most love and hate to think about. I can't help my dreams, I try my curb my thoughts, but sometimes I wish that he had been the single Cullen, and it was times like those that I was infinitely grateful that my mind is closed to Edward.

Edward is always reminding me that Jasper needs to work on his control so that he would be able to spend time getting to know me. This seemed to be a running theme for me; men in my life having to become desensitised, so that they don't want to kill me. Non-homicidal thoughts are always a good foundation for a loving relationship or friendship.

We were in the garage before I realised we were at the house. I started to get out of the car, automatically bracing myself for Emmett's overzealous greeting. He would then receive the customary chastisement from Edward as he set me back on my feet, and then I'd be immediately pounced on by Alice.

Tonight, however, was different.

Edward ordered me to stay in the car, halting my attempt to exit. I got no explanation, no apology, and no chance to even question his suddenly surly demeanour. He simply issued the order and left me with the echo of the door slamming in his wake.

Well, there is no way that I'm just going to sit here like a fucking toddler. It was obvious that I wasn't in any danger, if I were, I would not have been left on my own. Edward's overprotective ass would never leave my side if that were the case. So I felt safe in the decision to exit the car at least. Once out and away from the Volvo my planned excuse would be that I was suddenly interested on Rose's vast array of tools. I could hear the sounds of arguing coming from inside as I closed the car door behind me. It was more of an angry buzz; obviously without me in the room there was no need to speak loud or slow enough for a human to hear. Growls erupted and the crashing of something made me jump and rethink my idea of getting out of the car.

The shouts got louder; I distinctly heard Esme and Carlisle's pleas for whomever to calm down. Then my name came into the mix and I froze. This is about me? What the hell is going on now?

"Bella's mine, Edward. You took her from me." A voice I was sure was Jasper's, bellowed out.

 _What the fuck?_

 _Was that Jasper?_

 _What the hell is he talking about?_

I really, really wanted to just waltz in there and find out what the crap is going on. But my feet were glued to the concrete floor. Walking into the middle of a supernatural fight spoke even to my meagre sense of self preservation.

Suddenly there was silence. All sounds of, well _everything_ , just stopped. I was left with nothing but the harsh beating of my heart drumming through my ears…so, ok, maybe not everything stopped.

I felt like I was stuck in the eye of the storm, where everything pauses and calms before all hell breaks lose. My eyes were trained on the door Edward had disappeared through. I was waiting for him to reappear, to tell me that everything is fine and that we would be spending tonight at my house. Because I knew damn well that he would never actually tell me something that he thinks might upset me. God forbid he causes me to worry.

Well, I have some news for you this time Edward Anthony Cullen, there is no way that I will be taking any lame ass explanation. This time I want the whole truth and nothing but the tru...

 _HOLY SHIT!_

I scrambled towards the side wall as Edward exploded through the front wall, next to the closed door, and into the Volvo. Both he and his car skidded back and into the garage door. The Volvo, where I had been sitting not two minutes ago, was nothing but a twisted lump of metal. I got about enough time to register that I was now sitting on my ass as Jasper came careening through the hole left by Edward's entrance. He stopped, taking me in. He looked pissed; his eyes were black and narrowed, and trained on me. His face softened slightly, determination and want took over his face as he started towards me.

I didn't know what the hell to think, my brain had gone on vacation. All there was for me just then was an insanely hot, barely in control vampire, stalking towards me. I didn't even flinch. I definitively made no move to get out of his way.

He didn't get to me though; Edward intercepted him and kicked him through the garage door. What the hell is it with vampires and destroying things? I was grabbed though, no idea by who, and the air was whipping past me as I instinctively buried my head into the shoulder of whoever the hell was taking me away from the carnage.

Seconds after I was deposited in a car, the door slammed and Rose appeared next to me, throwing the car into gear and shooting off down the drive. It took me a minute or so to find my voice.

"What in the unholy fuck is going on?" I screamed.

Rose just turned to me and cocked an eyebrow, smirking at me. "All in good time Bella. I never knew you had such a mouth on you."

"Like that matters! What was the argument about? Why the hell did Jasper throw Edward into the Volvo? What did Jasper mean by someone stole me from him? And why the hell am I in a car with you? Going god knows where? Another question, where are we going?"

Rose sighed, obviously annoyed with me, well tough titties blondie, I want to know what's going on.

"The argument was about you. Jasper threw Edward into the garage and consequently into the Volvo because Edward declared himself the stronger fighter. Jasper meant exactly what he said, Edward took you from him, and you are in the car with me because I am the only one other than Emmett that Jasper trusts completely. Emmett was busy getting Jasper off Edward, so I grabbed you and took off. As to where we are going, well you will just have to see. I can't say it out loud otherwise Alice will know. Hell I don't even know where yet, I need to make contact with a friend. Now go to sleep, it's going to be a long drive."

 _Huh?_

What a way to answer all of my questions without actually giving me any useful answers. So I was right, the argument was about me, and Edward stole me from Jasper? Where the hell did he get that idea from, I've barely said two words to him let a lone anything resembling a relationship. What about Alice? Plus, Rose and Emmett are the only ones that Jasper trusts with me? What the hell does that mean?

Sleep sounds like a fabulous idea right now, oblivion for a few hours, a respite from all of this shit that has exploded. Rose's phone rang, startling me. She answered, doing nothing more than bringing the phone to her ear and ends the call soon after. I turned to the window; the memory of Jasper as he stalked towards me is fresh in my mind. He was so…enticing, exciting, sexy.

I smirked, feeling naughty and mischievous, damn exuberant, and more than just a little bit turned on. It turns out the sexy cowboy who I've wanted from afar wants me too.

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 **Leave me some love...**


	2. Goodbye blindfold my old friend

**I'm impatient, and so chapter two is up tonight. I'll be going through the rest of the chapters starting tomorrow, working some of the formatting that got messed up in the copy and paste job from the PDF my wonderful Woman had sent me. So, if the last chapter had the occasional blip, that would be why. So, here's CH 2...**

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Sleep had snuck up on me, I had been so sure that there was no way I would be able to sleep after everything that had happened. In fact the last thing I remembered, before I succumbed to the gentle rocking of the car, was how I felt as though I would never sleep again. Funny how these things work, isn't it?

As I opened my eyes I noticed my mouth felt like it had been stuffed full of those fucking annoying cotton wool things that Dentists are so fond off. The second thing I realized was the fact that my breath probably also smelled of ass…and I was sharing an enclosed space with a (bitchy) vampire, super senses and all. To be honest, the thoughts didn't bother me too much, what in the hell am I supposed to do about it right at this moment anyhow?

Then I tried to move. This was a very, very, bad and pain inducing idea. Without the luxury of a pillow my head had fallen to the side and I had slept for god only knows how long with my neck at an unnatural angle. I actually had to use my hands to move my head to an upright position. What did Rose do in all her sympathetic glory? She fucking laughed. Bitch. What I wouldn't give for a lighter right about now, I bet that blonde hair that she loves so much would go up in a flash.

"Here." Her hand, complete with a bottle of soda appeared in my line of sight. Ooh, ok…forget about the lighter then.

"Thanks," I said as I took the bottle. I unscrewed the top and downed half of the contents before the effervescing bubbles began to burn my throat. I relished the sensation, imagining that it took away at least some of my ass breath. I took a moment to look out of the window, surprised to see that we were driving along a runway, heading towards a large Jet. How long have we been driving? Better yet, how the hell have we bypassed passport control? I knew better than to ask though, after Rose's earlier warning. I figured that I would find out sooner or later. To be honest, I was more interested in getting rid of the kink in my neck that was trying to kill me.

As we pulled up, two figures disembarked and descended the stairs, coming to a stop at the bottom. They were both pale, beautiful and carried themselves with unnatural grace. Ding, ding…more vamps. Yay.

Rose didn't bother speaking to me before exiting the car, nice woman that she is, and took off walking towards the two strange vampires. Taking the initiative, I got out…the groaning of my stiff muscles and snapping of joints kept still for too long, meant that my exit was as far from graceful as one could possibly get. But really, I'm human…this is what happens. So I shrugged it off and walked, hopefully confidently, to my three wards. I was only a few steps further when I noticed that the couple were sporting bright red eyes. Flashes of James and his pleasure at my pain back in the ballet studio flashed through my mind and I was, embarrassingly enough, pretty damn worried.

What the hell is Rose thinking?

Here I am, on a runway with no sign of any one else in the near vicinity, with the one Cullen that despises me and two human drinking vampires. It took Rose's signature eye roll and exaggerated 'come on!' wave of her hand to make me realise that I had stopped stock still.

Anger…annoyance. Yes, much better than fear. Really, can't she just take one second out of her day to think of someone else…or at least how I might react to two examples of the darker side of the vampire race? No…of course not, that would mean that she had a soul. Not for the first time, I wondered how the hell Emmett put up with her? Her pussy must be tighter than a nuns, it's the only thing that I can think of.

So I steeled myself, head held high, shoulders back, and all that crap and continued forward.

The strangers, a man and a woman, and going off his possessive arm around her waist I would be safe to guess that they are mated. He looks startlingly similar to Jasper, only his blonde hair is straighter and shorter…and the red eyes, can't forget the red eyes. She was slightly taller than me, but no less statuesque than Rose. Her hair, also blonde, fell behind her shoulders in long curls. Her hourglass figure reminded me of Marilyn Monroe; all curves and one hell of a rack. I swear you could get lost in there.

Ok Swan, eyes away from the boobs. That's just plain rude.

My eyes flicked back to her face, her smirk hinted that I was busted. His next comment confirmed it.

"Don't worry about it Bella, they hold one hell of an attraction."

Yeah, a beetroot has nothing on me right now. I laughed, "Yeah…how the hell do you find your way out of them?"

Brain to mouth filter is officially off. Luckily for me they both laughed, and to my pleasure, Rose just looked really pissed off. My guess is that she thought they would side with her on the love/hate Bella fence.

"Let's get you on the plane Bella; there are refreshments and amenities available to you. We made sure that out little Jet here is fully stocked, wouldn't want you uncomfortable now would we?"

I nodded dumbly…little? Little? What the fuck plane is he looking at?

The inside was all cream and gold and plush and luxury. It was pretty damn impressive really, and a little overwhelming. I have no idea what time it is. Only that it's dark. Whatever, I need a breather. They settled down in the main lounge, a freaking lounge! Honestly, some people have too much money. I was pointed towards the back of the plane, where I could find a bedroom, complete with a double bed that looked so comfortable I don't think I would ever get out of it, and an ensuite bathroom.

Ahh…Heaven.

At that moment there was nothing, absolutely nothing other than me and the huge shower that was purring my name. Towels were already set out on the heated rack, and to my surprise my usual shampoo, conditioner and body wash were out on the counter. Along with hair removal cream (are they trying to tell me something?), moisturiser, toothbrush and paste, and all sorts of skin products.

My shower was wonderful. I stayed under the warm cascade until I started to prune, the drum of the water on my skin was nothing less than divine bliss. I never wanted to leave. The world out of the shower was confusing and daunting. For all of my bravado and dirty thoughts of a certain immortal cowboy, I was terrified. I didn't know where I was, I didn't know why I was there and I really didn't know what the hell I was going to tell my father about all of this. Shit, Charlie! Ok, logically I'm an adult and can take impromptu holidays. Why is it that all of my journeys are born out of panic, confusion and danger?

There is no point worrying over this without all of the information. The one thing that I am sure of is that my life has been irrevocably altered. And, I have been stuck with Bitchalie, the Vampire. Although at least the two red eyes don't seem to be too bad…still don't know their names though.

The towel that I wrapped around my naked form was warm and fluffy and soft and all kinds of yummy comfort. I will so be taking these with me where ever the hell we land. Nice and squeaky clean, hairless and moisturised I feel like a new woman. A new woman that really doesn't want to put her worn, slept in clothes back on.

But what was I thinking? This trip was organised by vampires for god's sake, of course the drawers and wardrobe are filled with clothes. Really, really nice clothes…clothes that, while a little bit tighter than I am used to, are all me. So, skinny jeans and deep green tank top it is. The underwear leaves a little to be desired; apparently they plundered Victoria's Secret. At least it fits.

I took a moment to stare in wonder at my newly acquired cleavage, even going so far as to bounce up and down…who knew my puppies could look so good? My hair is all kinds of glossy and loose, curling slightly at the ends. I will never again go without the magic hair goo that they had provided; honestly that stuff should be mandatory. I wouldn't be admitting that to Alice any time soon though.

I found them exactly where I had left them, their buzzing conversation ceased as I took a seat on one of the free sofas and looked at them expectantly.

"Feel better?" The Jasper look-a-like asked, was it that obvious?

"Most definitely, I feel like a new woman. And thank you to whoever got the goodies, my hair has never looked this good! So, do I get introductions or am I going to have to make up names for you both?" I asked, smiling sweetly.

"Of course, Sugar," the woman spoke, her voice a Texan drawl just like her mate and Jasper. It's obvious they know each other. Why else would they be here? I knew however, that they had never been mentioned to me before. "I'm Charlotte, but you can call me Charley, and this ass sitting next to me is my mate and husband, Peter Whitlock. Jasper's brother."

My eyes widened. "Jasper's brother? As in brother, brother…or coven, family of vampires, brother?"

"We're brothers by both blood and venom." Peter stated, obviously pleased with my reaction. No wonder they looked so alike.

"That is…wow…I noticed the resemblance when I first saw you. Please don't take this the wrong way," and eat me, "but why is it that I didn't know about you?"

The three vampires shared a glance, obviously wondering what they should or shouldn't share. I let out a quick breath, pissed off at their reluctance to share.

"Listen, I'm no child, nor am I stupid. If there is something that I should know then tell me, I've had enough over protective coddling shit to last me a life time. I've been hauled in a car, forced to put up with Rose's disdain, got a crick in my neck that needs the tender care of a chiropractor, and am now sitting in a huge airplane, that has a freaking lounge, bedroom and with an en-suite, I might add. All of this, after I half witnessed a fight that ended with Jasper killing Edward's Volvo by using Edward as the weapon. I deserve to be let in on the big secret."

This time it was Rose that, oh so sweetly, answered. "And you think I'm the vain one? Who says you have the right to know anything? If you were as intelligent as you claim to be then you would not have missed what was right in front of your nose! The last thing that I would do is coddle you; you're a self-proclaimed big girl, look after yourself." The wish for a lighter came back to the forefront of my mind, swiftly followed by an upgrade to a flamethrower. Visions of me going all Ripley on her ass, complete with the grenade launcher strapped to my flamethrower, filled my mind. Maybe a rocket launcher? "Besides, the details of this whole debacle are not ours to tell. You'll have to wait for the others to get here. So be a good girl and sit quietly, children should be seen and not heard."

BITCH. Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch…BITCH, SLAG, WHORE, SHALLOW, DIMWITTED, COW!

Thankfully my brain to mouth filter seems to have reinstated its self, I don't really feel like being dinner right now. Breathe in; breathe out…in….out…in…out. Fuck, I sound like the director of a porn movie.

"Well thank you for those heartfelt words Rose, why don't you go find a mirror to stare in for a few hours. Leave us big thinkers in peace for a while? This must be hurting that pwetty wittle brain of yours, I wouldn't want to tire you out."

Ok, so maybe I do have a death wish…but I figured that if she lost control that I had two other vamps on my side, one of which is Jasper's brother, so I'm guessing that he wouldn't want anything to happen to me; what with Jasper's sudden interest and all.

Rose's condescending, and still infuriatingly beautiful, smile had transformed into a feral snarl. Her eyes had darkened to pitch black and the constant growl she was producing was spine chilling…maybe I could record it and start up my own horror sound effects company? Something to pass the time.

"Rose, out now!" Peter turned all dominant, no trace of the easy going smile that I had gotten used to. Same went for Charley, they were both glaring at Rose. Well, it's obvious who runs this show. Rose looked shocked and then disgusted, her gaze raking over me again before she opened her mouth. Probably to spout off yet more shit. "Don't even think about it Rosalie." Peter, thankfully, cut her off. "Go hunt, now. The others will be here before long and we will need to take off as soon as that hatch closes. And while you're at it, calm the fuck down and thank your lucky stars that Jasper wasn't here for that little show you just spewed out. Go!"

No further protest from Rose and she was out the door, I barely saw her blur.

Feeling a strange mix between empowered and sheepish I turned my eyes back to Peter and Charley. They're eyes remained black, and their faces stormy, for a few more seconds before they both broke into a pair of shit eating grins and dissolved into laughter that bordered on hysterical.

I, being the human that goaded the pissed off and temperamental vampire, was still coming down from the adrenaline high caused by the encounter. I surprise myself sometimes with my lack of a survival instinct. That bitch just begs for a takedown though, there was no way I was gonna sit back and take her shit. Cow.

"Oh Bella, I knew things were gonna get interesting with you joining the fold, but fuck, Emmett is gonna be kissing your feet for weeks after he hears about that!"

Charley managed to get out between her wheezing for breath. Which confused the hell out of me, why the fuck would a vampire wheeze? But then she also had to hold onto Peter so that she wouldn't fall on the floor.

"Er, won't Emmett be mad at me for speaking to Rosalie that way?" I didn't like her, but Emmett sure loved her.

"Pfft, yeah right. Rose has a tendency to run her mouth, thinking she's better than those around her. Most people take her shit because it's easier than listening to the bitch whine. Us, a bunch of bad ass vamps, back down and you, the lowly human, take her shit and threw it right back at her. Smeared it in her face even." He looked contemplative for a second before adding. "I wouldn't recommend doing that without back up though."

Now that made me laugh. Fuck no! I'm not suicidal in fact my new life's mission is to make sure that I'm never in the same room as Rose without at least one other vampire.

"Yeah, I'll take that under advisement. Now, is someone gonna fill me in on what's going on? It's been something of a confusing day and I would love to be able to make some sense of it."

"The others will be here soon, so you'll have to wait for them to arrive before you get the juicy stuff."

"What, so I just sit all pretty and quiet and wait for the others to get here?" If there is one thing I hate it's being kept in the dark about things, it frustrates the hell out of me.

"I know this must be very frightening for you, Bella. But, I assure you that you are safe with us, Jasper was not far behind you and Rose, he just had something to sort out but he will be here soon," Charley spoke up, smiling at me reassuringly.

"Oh, I'm not frightened. My experience with human drinking vampires is that they usually just try to, you know, drink me." I shrugged, thinking back to James and the ballet studio. "Well maybe a little torture and ridicule beforehand. You two have done the opposite, and you're Jasper's brother. I may not know him very well, but I don't think he means me any harm." Peter scoffed at that comment and rolled his eyes. "What?"

"Sorry, it was just your comment about not thinking Jasper means any harm. Bella, believe me when I tell you that if there is one person in this world that you never have to worry about hurting you, it would be Jasper."

I tried to ignore the way my chest clenched and vibrated at the thought of Jasper doing…well anything to me.

"Yeah, about that? Rose said something to me on the way over here. She said that Edward took me from Jasper. But I don't understand? Jasper and I have barely had a conversation. The only time I have ever been alone with him was for 5 minutes when I was being hidden from James. I have never been with Jasper for anyone to take me away from him. Not to mention the fact that he is married to Alice, my best friend."

I looked from Peter to Charley and back again, Charley seemed like she wanted to tell me. In fact, she seemed down right frustrated and pissed off about something that I just said, but Peter was steadfast in his decision to wait.

"There are certain things that you need to be set right on, and believe me you will get the truth. There is much more to this than true mates, you have been kept in the dark about everything, little one," Peter said, his voice solemn.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking out of the window at the tarmac and hangars in the distance. "So, who are we waiting for?"

Both Peter and Charley seemed pleased with the change of subject. "Carlisle,

Esme, Emmett, and Jasper are all on their way. Eleazar and Carmen of the Alaskan Coven and their daughter Kate will meet us once we land."

I nodded in recognition; Edward had spoken about their cousins that live in Denali, Alaska.

"Wait…no Alice? What is she going to be doing?"

Charley growled, causing me to jump and I'll admit, I may have squeaked a little too. Peter was suddenly on his knees in front of his wife, his hands cupping her face. "Charley, baby, calm down. I know how you feel about her but Bella has no idea, and you're scaring her." Her eyes lightened from black to crimson and she nodded, but the pissed off look remained on her face. Peter sat back down turning his attention to me. "Alice is a subject better left alone for now, suffice it to say that toxic imp bitch is no longer welcome among us, nor is Edward. Jasper and Alice's marriage was nothing but a sham..."

Charley cut him off, almost shouting. "A big pile of stinking horse shit, is what it was, Peter. I told him time and again, that little skinny cunt has had him..."

Peter returned the favour. "Charley! I know, I know honey, I know what she did." Colour me thoroughly confused.

"Now Bella, how about I rustle up some grub for you and something to drink? I can hear your stomach grumbling for food, hell soon you will too, if you don't feed it." Peter's grin was genuine, if not a little strained, and I knew that he was trying to save Charley any added stress so I smiled at him.

"Sure, food sounds good, Peter. But I can sort myself out, just point me in the right direction and I'll put something together." I wanted to give him some time alone with his wife.

"Now what kind of host would I be, if I were to let you see to yourself? Set that sweet ass of yours down and do whatever it is that women do while I busy myself in the kitchen." He turned slightly and then reconsidered his words. "Which of course is a very manly pastime in itself." And with that he disappeared into what I assume was the galley.

I laughed lightly, pictures of Peter in a novelty apron, one of those with a half-naked woman on the front flashed through my mind. I turned back to find Charley watching me, she looked as though she was trying to figure me out. I'm used to vamps looking at me like I'm some anomaly, so I figured I may as well get this shit over with.

"Ask me anything, Charley, I won't be offended."

Sheepishly, she laughed at being called out. "I'm sorry Bella, it's just that I saw your initial reaction to our eyes and you still walked towards us." She shook her head slightly confused, "You say that you're not scared, which I know is the truth because your bio rhythms are all relaxed. It astounds me, Jasper has spoken of your trust in our kind before, but I never really believed it until now."

I shrugged. "I have been told that I have no sense of self preservation, I also seem to be a walking talking danger trap. So it seems fitting that my life is now with vampires. To be honest, I have always felt as if I were waiting for something. Meeting Edward and the rest of the Cullen's gave me what I had been missing, well mostly." I frowned as I thought back on how I felt with Edward, so perfect at the time but now it seemed wrong somehow.

"What is it?"

"Sorry, was just thinking about the last few months. Meeting Edward, everything has always been so perfect. Too perfect. But what you and Peter were saying before, I don't understand what's going on with Jasper and Alice. They always seemed so…perfect too. Looking back on it though…," I trailed off lost in thought again.

Perfect seemed to be the running theme. Too perfect, he was always there, always with the right thing to say; the perfect thing. Ever since meeting the Cullen's my time had not been my own, I was either busy being dazzled by Edward or made-up by Alice. Edward always did things to make me feel special, but if there was ever anything that I didn't like or was pissed at he would simply put me in a daze and smile when he got his own way. The only times that I felt truly relaxed were the off times that I was able to cook with Esme or talk with Carlisle, and I only truly laughed with Emmett. Where the fuck had my brain been for the past few months?

"Bella? Looking back on what, sweetie?" Charley coaxed me softly.

A tear spilled from my eye and I wiped at it frantically, hating the need for it. "Alice's visions, they're subjective right?" Charley nodded slightly. "But they don't just come to her; she's able to search the future too?" Again Charley simply nodded and waited for me to continue. "So, it's feasible then that she is able to sort through possible futures, dependant on any decisions she or others might make?" another nod. "No wonder everything seemed so perfect. Edward always said the right thing, or turned up at the right time. Yet with James, he was almost too late." I shook my head slightly, thoughts running through my head at a mile a minute. "How the hell was I able to get away from Jasper and Alice? She would have seen the decision as soon as I made it. Sure the bathroom escape was last minute but I had been thinking of ways to get away from them as soon as the phone call from James ended."

I laughed, it was humourless, dry. Did she know? Did Alice know about the phone call? My plan to go to James? Oh god! The bite and Edward sucking the venom out. They knew, they both knew, he already knew that he would be able to do it. But why? Why go through all of that?

What the FUCK is going on?

"Bella, honey? Talk to me sweetie, please?" Charley whispered. I glanced up and into her red eyes that were shimmering slightly and I wondered what it would be like to be unable to shed a tear.

"It was a lie wasn't it? All lies. Peter's comments and the Alice bashing, I don't know the details…but Edward and I, it always seemed forced somehow. And whenever I would start to question it something would happen. Alice would swoop in, or Edward would kiss me. Dazzle me. Save me from a psychotic vampire. He put restrictions on me, boundaries. Alice, she was always trying to change me, tell me what I should wear to make me look better, to make Edward like me more."

In a blink, Charley was next to me and pulled me into an embrace. That was all it took for the traitorous flood gates to open, tears ran but I didn't sob I wouldn't, I couldn't. I was angry, frustrated, I hate feeling frustrated. It makes me feel weak and useless and stupid.

"Shh, Honeybee, listen to me. You will get all your answers, and you won't like what we all have to tell you, but it will be worth it. We've all been deceived, but what matters now is that the lies are over."

A hand on my knee let me know that Peter had come back, a sandwich on the table sat with a glass of soda. I lifted my head and it made me feel better when I saw the worry and love that shone in Peter's eyes. He was Jasper's brother, by both blood and venom, he didn't know me but he already cared. I already felt right with both him and Charley. I just needed to know the truth.

"Little one, I'm sorry that this has happened. I can't tell you how sorry I am that I never knew what was going on, god knows I don't understand why this was never opened to me, but I promise that I will make it up to you."

"I don't understand, Peter, I don't even know what the fuck has happened. All I know is that it wasn't real, but I don't know why! Why would you blame yourself, Peter? Why should you have known when it seems that I wasn't the only one kept in the dark?"

Peter stared at me for a few seconds, a frown marring his features, so like Jasper. Charley broke the silence. "That, at least, is something that you can explain to the poor girl, Peter."

His eyes flickered to Charley before settling on mine again. "I have something of a gift. The best way of describing it would be that I have an acute sense of intuition and logic. Sometimes I just know shit, sometimes things come together in my mind to reveal the truth. Mostly I know what is to come, or at the very least, what to do about any given situation. I am also what is known as a Silent. It means that the knowledge that I own is mine to reveal, my mind cannot be read and my future cannot be seen. Which is why I know that Alice will not know where we are or where we are going. Ironically enough, even though my gift shed no light on the shit storm that Alice and Edward have created, it did end up being the key to finding out what has been going on."

"Peter, NO! How can you blame yourself for this? Just because you didn't know something doesn't make it your fault! If that is your logic, then we are all at fault. Hell, I was in the thick of it and I didn't know, actually I still don't know."

Peter smiled at me, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Stop that shit right the fuck now Peter Whitlock! Don't try to be condescending to me. You are in no way to blame for this, now buck the fuck up and get out of the way. I want to eat my sandwich!" Then I showed him what a smile should look like.

He laughed and he and Charley flitted back to their original positions and I literally ripped into what I found to be a ham, cheese, and crisp club sandwich. "How the hell did you know this is my favourite? It even has pesto on the middle slice!"

"Well at least I know something."

The plane started it's taxi down the runway as the rest of our party arrived halfway through my meal; Carlisle and Esme both came straight over to me, Esme fussing and Carlisle seeing if I was ok. Emmett almost made me regurgitate my dinner when he spun me round, and Jasper had to step in. No harm done, I was laughing and my sandwich was still where it should be. It's all good.

Then it was Jasper standing in front of me, a soft smile on his face. He seemed reluctant to come any closer, and I was suddenly all shy and pathetic. It took me catching Peter's eye roll from behind Jasper to get my ass in gear. I closed the distance and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest and breathing deeply. I had never been this close to him before, never taken in his scent so completely. Never felt this right, how the hell had I missed this?

I didn't want to let go, and when his arms encircled me I was in Heaven. Corny as all hell, but I couldn't really give a flying shit. I felt his lips as he kissed the top of my head and held me tighter. I was home, and apparently now a very sappy girlie girl.

"Come on now you two, I know that this is a long time coming but Bella still doesn't actually know what the fuck..."

"Peter, there are ladies present," Esme admonished.

I smiled into Jasper's chest, still not willing to move. I don't know if he sensed this or not, but he took no time in sitting down and settling me in his lap. It was all a little overwhelming, but being this close to him helped me deal. Is this moving too fast? Probably. Do I care? Not in the slightest, I'm sitting on his lap not saving a horse.

"Sorry Esme, Bella…I will try to keep my bad language to a minimum," Peter answered and was interrupted again.

"Hey! What am I? Invisible?" Rose whined from behind Emmett. Fuck, I'd forgotten about her.

"No Rose, I am fully aware that you are there." He hurried on when it looked like she was about to open her pie hole again. "Anyway, like I was saying. Bella doesn't know the details; she has figured out that Edward and Alice have been lying to her." He looked directly at Jasper before carrying on. "She knows that your and Alice's marriage was a sham, and that her and Edward's relationship was all a lie. She is, understandably, confused and frustrated. And by the way, you really weren't exaggerating when you spoke about her being ok with all things weird." He looked at me then, now curled up in Jasper's lap. "She's been a trooper, and really isn't scared of speaking her mind." He shot a look at Rose as he said this; I did an internal 'go me!' dance.

"I heard about that Darlin', it seems you're coming out of your shell," Jasper whispered into my ear, I tried really hard to concentrate on his words and not the feeling of his cool breath that ghosted across my ear.

I didn't trust my voice, nor was I able to actually think of words at that moment, let alone put them together to form anything intelligible. So I stayed quiet and simply smiled and snuggled. I like snuggling.

Emmett, not one to keep quiet, jumped in. "Oh yeah, our Bella has a talent for going with the flow. She's not always as quiet as she seems either, at least not around me. That girl has one hell of a mouth on her when she's beating my ass on the Wii."

I almost spat I laughed so hard, "Yeah Emmett, that would be because you don't shut up when you win, so excuse me for my slight outburst when I kick your ass at baseball!"

"Slight outburst? You laughed so hard when you saw my face that I had to run you to the pisser," he guffawed.

"Emmett! Language!" Dear old mom. Emmett mumbled a sorry and shut up. Thankfully.

Esme glared at Emmett for a few more seconds, making sure he stayed quiet while the rest of us snickered at his expense. Happy that he was properly chastised she turned back to me. "So, why don't you let us know what you have figured out and we can fill in any blanks or answer any questions?"

I smiled appreciatively and more than ready with questions for them. "Ok, so Alice and Edward have been manipulating me and situations for their own means?"

Everyone nodded, suddenly looking grim.

"Not just you either Bella, they have been lying to all of us," Carlisle murmured.

"Ok, so they arranged everything for me to fall for Edward, and Jasper and Alice's marriage is a load of rubbish? I guess my biggest question would be, why?"

I didn't like the looks that I was faced with; Rose was looking disinterested but slightly smug, Esme looked like she would be crying if she could, Carlisle was worried. Peter and Charley seemed, apprehensive.

So basically, I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear then? Yay.

"Their masters want you Bella, for your power and your potential," Peter spoke quietly; he had the rapt attention of everyone in the room. "Edward's inability to hear your thoughts is much more than a fluke. You are a shield, a mental shield to be exact and to some, a very valuable commodity."

I gulped, commodity. I did not like that term, not one bit.

"Commodity? Way to make me sound like a business transaction there, Peter." I attempted a laugh; it came out more like a strangled groan.

"Sorry Bella, it's nothing personal I assure you. That is simply the best way to describe how you are seen by the less civilised of our kind. They want you because of your usefulness, the power and protection that you would bring their coven."

"Alice and Edward are a part of another coven?"

Peter nodded slowly; his eyes flitted to Carlisle before he continued. "I did some digging into Alice's past, the past the she always claimed not to remember. Mary Alice Brandon was admitted into an asylum at the age of 17. She was the youngest daughter of a very prominent family, who were unsuccessful at keeping her out of the papers. It was reported that she was dragged away after becoming hysterical during church and screaming about a fire and children burning. One week after she was admitted there was a fire, at the local orphanage. I contacted Jenks; he got a hold of the records from the asylum. They're as detailed as you can probably imagine from that time. She was subjected to electric shock therapy, but what is most interesting is the name of her doctor. Stefan Gabor, he started working there a week after the Orphanage fire hit the papers."

Going off the sharp in-takes of breath, shocked faces, and cussing that was sounding out around me; this news meant a lot more to the rest than it did to me.

"For those of us that don't get the significance, namely me, is there an explanation coming?" I asked.

Carlisle spoke up "Stephen is one of the two leaders of a coven in Romania; they were powerful up until a few hundred years ago. Their numbers were decimated when they went up against the Volturi."

Edward had mentioned the Volturi in passing, something about Vampire royalty. I knew that Alice had been in an asylum when she was changed; from everything that James had told me before his torture started. "So he's dead then? That's what James said."

Carlisle shook his head. "No, he is definitely not dead. He and his brother, Vladimir are still holed up in a castle in Romania. I can only assume that Alice has been under their direction the whole time?" he said to himself. "No wonder she always insisted on her and Edward never touching Aro."

"Aro?"

"What do you know of the Volturi, Bella?" Carlisle asked instead of answering me outright.

I shrugged. "Not much, Edward mentioned them once…he referred to them as royalty. He didn't sound like he liked them, called the leaders pompous and self-important."

Carlisle's eyes darkened, the whites swallowed by black; something that I had never seen before. It was disturbing; his usually calm demeanour was replaced with outrage, his face twisted with anger and for the first time I was shown the monster inside Carlisle. Terrified doesn't cover what I felt.

With a yelp I found myself unceremoniously dumped on the sofa, a growling Jasper crouched in front of me. Even in my distressed state I managed to appreciate the view Jasper's position gave me of his ass.

"Calm down Carlisle, you're scaring the shit out of Bella," Jasper spoke quietly, calmly. "We need to hear the rest of the information; your wrath can wait until he is standing in front of you."

Not being one to sit back and wait, I peeped shyly around Jasper's back. Carlisle was standing; his eyes still dark but the white now showed. Esme was at his shoulder with a supportive hand around his elbow. Everyone was focused on Jasper and Carlisle; whom never broke eye contact until Carlisle's eyes returned to their usual gold.

"Carlisle, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." I was feeling responsible for breaking Carlisle's usually impeccably calm façade.

The next thing I knew I was back in Jasper's lap with a contrite looking Carlisle kneeling in front of me. "Alright, enough with the throwing me round like a rag doll! I can't keep up with all this vampire speed," I grumbled, brushing my hair out of my face.

Carlisle smiled, chuckling while Jasper uttered a quick apology. "Bella, I am truly sorry for my behaviour. To hear what Edward said to you…," his voice trailed off into a growl, he looked heartbroken. I hated Edward in that moment for making Carlisle feel that way. "He was right about the Volturi being thought of as royalty; the ranks of the guard are generally thought of as aristocracy. The Volturi is led by four Elders, or kings if you're going with the royalty theory. Aro is one of them; he is a powerful Soul Reader. Through touch he is able to read every thought, memory, or musing that has passed through your head."

"That's why Alice refused to touch him?" I asked quietly.

Carlisle nodded in agreement. "It also explains why she then insisted that Edward not be touched either; she cited privacy and the danger of the wrong people knowing the future as her reasons. Aro agreed to her terms, he was simply happy to have a seer and an empath join our ranks." Yeah, I haven't missed the 'we' and 'our' instead of 'the'. "Marcus, another Elder, is also gifted; he can see connections between people and the nature and depth of the relationships. They founded the Volturi, myself and my brother Caius joined their numbers two hundred years ago. Together we make up the four Elders of the Volturi."

Yeah, I think my eyebrows were in my hair. Carlisle is royalty and he's kneeling in front of me.

I jumped up, to my horror causing Carlisle to jump out of my way. Completely flustered I tried to come up with something to say, which apparently meant that I simply spewed out nonsense.

"Carlisle! I'm so sorry, I didn't know…I…can I even call you Carlisle? Do you have a title? You have a brother? Do you have a gift? King…really?" Yeah, maybe I should learn to wait and think before I speak.

Everyone was laughing away at my flustered antics, thankfully that included Carlisle. He enveloped me in a hug that was only just on the right side of 'too tight to breath'. "Oh my daughter, what would I do without you?" He pushed me back slightly and held my face in his frigid hands. "I have a title, but I could never have you refer to me as 'My Lord'. If you insist on something more formal then it would make my existence if you were to call me, Father."

I giggled; part in relief for not offending him, mostly through embarrassment at his obvious affection and the tears that were escaping my eyes. "Really?" I squeaked.

He sat me back down on the sofa, this time taking a seat beside Jasper and I. "Yes, although I understand if it makes you uncomfortable to do so."

"Oh no! No, calling you my Lord would be uncomfortable," I laughed. "Somehow calling you father seems right." Which makes no sense to me; I had enough trouble calling my actual father, father. Speaking of!

"My Dad! What the hell am I supposed to say to him?"

* * *

 **Leave me some love...**


	3. That Little

**A/N: Later than intended, but here now. Spending any and all time that I can at the hospital by my Grandad's side. So, here's chapter three, I'll be getting on with the other's as and when I have the time. Thank you for all of the reviews, it's great to hear from you guys, and I'll be getting around to proper review replies as soon as I can. Also...can I just say that doing a repost is as fun as the first time around, just with a whole lot less pressure? LOL. It's been six years since I first posted this story, makes me feel old. With that said, and because I really do want to finish my other WIP, I won't be updating Three again until I've got the remainder of the chapter's written and polished. At least then it'll be regular updates.**

 **Anyway...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Previously…_

 _"Charlie! What the hell am I supposed to say to him?"_

…

 _B~E~L~L~A_

Shit…shit, shit, shit. He went mental when I ran off to Phoenix because I was getting too serious with Edward and I didn't want to end up like my mother. As a result, he thinks I fell down a flight of stairs and through a window. This is otherwise known as running away from a deranged vampire with super tracking powers who was intent on killing me, getting tricked by said vampire, tortured by said vampire, bitten by said vampire, and then having my blood sucked clean by supposed perfect boyfriend. I'm pretty sure the only reason that I didn't end up being cuffed to my bed other than when I was in school was because of my injuries. A broken leg, cracked ribs, concussion, and severe blood loss will appeal to most people's sympathies. And here I am, off again, disappearing this time with no explanation.

"Bella, calm down. It's ok, that's why we were late getting to you. This is going to come as a shock to you, but Charlie knows all about us. He always has, the Swan line has a long history with the Volturi. We made sure he was on a plane to Italy, he'll be met there by some of the guard and taken to Volterra to be kept under the care of the Guard."

Huh?

He knows?

My dad knows?

Charlie knows about vampires? He's always known about vampires? But that…that's just ludicrous. He can't know; I would've known if he knew, surely I would've known if he knew. Wouldn't I? Oh flying monkeys' testicles, does that mean that he knows that I know? Calm fell about me like a soft blanket, Jasper's work obviously. I stammered around various unintelligible word sounds before Jasper's gift actually had any effect. Jesus, he's like my own walking, talking pharmacy. Vampire vallium. I closed my eyes, didn't bother trying to organise my thoughts because let's face it – MY FATHER KNOWS ABOUT VAMPIRES. Instead I just attempted to talk without sounding like I needed to be sent to the loony bin.

"He knows? He knows about vampires? That you're all vampires? That Edward is a vampire? That I was dating a vampire? My dad knows this?" I still hadn't opened my eyes or ceased sounding like I needed to be sectioned.

Jasper's influence seemed to be working double time, I sank back and rested my head against his shoulder as he caressed my arms with his large hands. I had the presence of mind to internally snigger about the relationship between finger length and other things, before Carlisle answered my rambling.

"The Volturi work closely with many humans, your father is one of them," Carlisle answered, I recognised his tone, it was how I'd imagine he would sound if he were talking down a crazy person. I took a deep, slow breath.

Then something occurred to me, and I was not happy.

"Hang on a minute!" I sat up suddenly. "He knew where I was and what happened in Phoenix? He knew that the accident was a load of bull? He knew and he still grounded me?"

In what world is that fair?

"It was necessary to keep up his role, what else would a parent have done to their daughter after they ran away?" Carlisle spoke softly.

I opened my eyes, finally. "Still doesn't seem fair," I grumbled. I was getting a headache.

My dad and I would be having one hell of a conversation when I saw him next. Rubbing my eyes with the heel of my palms I decided to change the subject.

"So, we're meeting up with him in Italy?" Carlisle sat back beside Esme, taking her hand in his, before directing his gaze over my shoulder and nodded, apparently giving Jasper the ok to explain.

"That is the eventual plan, Darlin', but right now we need to keep you hidden until your change."

I frowned. "Why not change me right away?"

Jasper turned me slightly so that he could see my face and I tried not to smile goofily at him. Which is much easier said than done.

"What did Edward explain to you about what needs to happen before your change?"

"Er…nothing? He has always been adamant that I wouldn't become a vampire."

Clearly I was missing something, another something. In fact, I had come to the conclusion that I had pretty much missed everything. Never a good place to be.

Jasper laughed, it wasn't a particularly happy sound. "He told you that you wouldn't be changed?"

I nodded and he shook his head in disbelief. Carlisle stood up and stormed away into the bedroom, Esme followed after issuing an apologetic smile. It was a little disconcerting to notice that each and every one of the remaining five vampires were all sporting darkening eyes.

Feeling way too human here!

I'd like to say that it was quiet for a few moments while thoughts were gathered together and organised. But the buzz that filled the cabin showed that they were talking out of my hearing range. I planned then to buy a digital voice recorder ASAP, at least then I could play the conversations back at a slower speed.

"Um, guys? Human here, a human that is still lost, still shocked, still doesn't know where this behemoth of a plane is taking us, and still can't understand vampire speed speech."

I figured it was better to point this out now before everything was decided for me. Ah…there's the quiet. I had to stifle a giggle when they all just froze and turned towards me in perfect sync. It's times like these when it's a good thing I'm comfortable with all things supernatural. Jasper closed his eyes, I expected him to breathe deeply and the missing action was peculiar. He opened his eyes and I was pleased to be looking into gold instead of black.

"You're right Darlin', we forgot ourselves." I ignored the disgusted snort that came from Rose. "We are only just finding out the extent of the games that Edward and Alice have been playing. They have kept you to themselves mostly, insisting that Edward be the one to bring you to your full potential. Carlisle walked out because he didn't want to scare you again; he and Edward have had extensive talks about the best ways to proceed with your training. Hell, the little shit has even given him progress reports; I gave him tips for meditation techniques."

"Wait, meditation? Edward had me meditating before bed, something about helping me sleep. He always got frustrated with me when I wouldn't open up enough for his liking."

I thought back to the times when he'd had me lying on my back in the darkened room, his voice lulling me into a state of relaxation, then him getting all pissy when I wouldn't do as he said. And open up what anyway? My legs? Yeah right, like that would have ever crossed his A-sexual mind. I was spun around so quickly it took me a second to register that I was now straddling Jasper's lap, a position that I was more than interested in recreating, just with a little less clothing. Hormonal teenager here.

Then his hands were cradling my face, his eyes boring into mine, "Bella, I need you to tell me everything that Edward did with you."

I panicked, my eyes flitted between his, and I didn't like how important this seemed. I didn't like that it made me feel vulnerable; that Edward might have done something to me that I didn't understand.

"I-I don't understand." I said in a small voice.

He smiled, and just as he meant it to be it was all kinds of reassuring, but he didn't move his hands and he didn't let me lose eye contact.

"How did he lead you through the meditation; what did he say, what did he request?"

"He would have me lie down on my bed and close my eyes, even though he had the light off and the curtains drawn. He would request that I visualise a staircase, he told me to concentrate and imagine that each step down I took the more relaxed I would become. That one by one, each part of my body would relax. He talked me through my breathing. He told me to let him know when I was on the last step, and then he'd ask me to relax my mind, to open up to him, for him."

My voice was so quiet by the end of my explanation that I could barely hear it.

"Jesus Christ." I heard Peter exclaim from somewhere behind me.

Jasper stared at me for a while longer, his expression unchanging from the blank face he had assumed during my explanation. He surprised me by laying a swift kiss on my forehead and wrapping his arms around me, pulling me close. It was nice, hell it was wonderful and if there wasn't a huge flashing WTF sign hanging over my head, I would've melted into him and accepted the comfort. As it was, I wanted to know what had spooked him. Because, let's face it, whatever spooks vampires can't be a good thing. So I went to sit back up and Jasper let me, of course I didn't change from my straddling position. I'm not stupid.

"I want to know what has you worried, Jasper."

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry that it worked out this way. I never should have gone against my gut." He frowned, tucking an errant hair behind my ear before continuing. "What he did wasn't strictly meditating. I think he was trying to put you into a suggestive state."

"Hypnosis?" I asked, and Jasper simply nodded. That can't be good. "He tried to hypnotise me? To what end? Jesus, as if he didn't already have the pint sized pixie's help in keeping me in line? Was he after me clucking like a chicken or something?"

I tried to be serious, really I did, but all hypnosis meant to me was tacky stage shows where they embarrassed a select few of the audience. I should know; I had been one of them and it didn't work then either.

"I doubt it; pretty boy doesn't have a sense of humour. I'd have had you shouting 'go wank over your piano!' every time he referred to you as 'Love'." Emmett had himself in stitches, even going so far as to wipe pretend tears off his cheeks. "God, I'm just too funny."

"This is hardly the time Emmett," Jasper growled, stifling my laughter and breaking me out of my thoughts of Edward dry humping his beloved piano. "From what Bella has said, it doesn't sound like he was able to get you in the necessary state. It also sounds like he was trying to gain access to your mind, rather than program you."

I gulped. "Program me? That doesn't sound good."

"Like I said, it would seem that he was unsuccessful," Jasper reiterated.

"If he had asked more about me he might have known that I can't be hypnotised." I scoffed, "I got dragged on stage at some show that my mom had talked me into. I swear, I have never been told to sleep so much in my life. Everyone else dropped their heads like good little puppets; I just stared at him like he was insane. He let me off the stage soon after."

Good times.

"Bella? Wait, Jas can you please turn her round so that I'm not talking to her ass?" Peter groaned.

Jasper obliged and I tried not to pout at the change of position.

"What did I say about no more ragdoll Bella? You're gonna give me whiplash!" I exclaimed, completely disgruntled.

I liked having my legs around his thighs. I tried not to pout.

Jasper's laughter vibrated through my back. "Sorry Darlin', I'm not used to handling a human."

He told Peter to continue while I tried to think of anything but Jasper handling me.

"Don't worry Bella; I'm sure Jasper will let you straddle him again soon."

Mortified, I was mortified and had the exact shade of red to prove it. I scowled at Peter for being an ass and calling me out; he just laughed and carried on. Git.

"Edward was trying to have you lower your shield. The nosy bastard was trying to read your mind, unsuccessfully it seems going off what you've said about his reactions."

"Yeah, although I don't know if he knows I noticed. I was usually so close to sleep when I would hear him grumbling under his breath. One time he was on the phone to someone, I didn't catch much but when he got pissed he got louder."

"What did he say?" Charley asked.

"That I wouldn't let go, that he couldn't do it unless I let go. Something else about trust…or…needing to gain my trust." I was rather proud at how calm and collected I sounded, because inside I was rippling with anger at Edward's audacity.

"Can you remember when that was?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, it was the day before the ill fated baseball game." Difficult to forget that episode.

"They arranged the tracker to go after Bella so that Edward could save her. Saving someone's life, that would be an almost fool proof way of gaining a person's trust." Rose surprised me by putting her two cents worth in.

I raised my eyebrow in question but she never looked my way.

"They would never have bothered with all of that shit if Alice didn't see that they would reap the benefits. How the fuck did this get by me?" Jasper's voice had a certain warmth to it, an edge, the undertone of a growl, and the stirrings of anger.

I stroked my fingers along his arms and finally entwined my fingers with his and smiled when I felt him relax slightly. "So, what you're saying is that the gruesome twosome had me chased, terrorised, tortured and bitten…on purpose?" I shook my head. "It worked as well, I felt closer to him after that. After he saved my life, that he didn't drain me even though my blood is so potent to him."

That ginger bastard!

"It would appear so."

I almost jumped out of my skin when Carlisle spoke; I had no idea he had reappeared. Vampires are just too damn quiet, they should be issued with bells or maybe I could come up with some sort of proximity alarm that beeps when they're near.

"Bella will need to be tested to find out the level of Edward's intrusion." Carlisle continued, starting a discussion from the other's.

"Sorry to jump into the discussion that you're having about me like I'm not sitting right here, but do you really think he might have been messing with my brain?" I shook my head. "It doesn't make sense, he-"

"Of course it doesn't! That would be the point, wouldn't it? He's probably had that weak mind of yours playing like his precious piano." Rose, ever the helpful one.

I bet Jasper could get me a rocket launcher. Maybe some phosphorous grenades. I'd throw in some cheesy 'How do you like me now?!' line.

"My point," I ground out, "is why bother wandering around my subconscious when he has the pint sized pixie 'see-it-all' to help keep me in line? If it was programming and not intrusion that he was after, who's to say that it would have stuck after my shield or whatever was back in place?"

"You bring up a good point Bella, but I think it would be well to check. If we are unable to bring you into a suggestive state then we know there was nothing to worry about. We can do it as soon as we're settled." Carlisle's tone made it clear that there would be no argument on this, so I just kept my mouth firmly closed.

"What the hell else did they engineer?" Everyone turned to Emmett. "Jas, think about it. Each time you slipped, why where you there? Why hadn't you hunted as often as usual? I've been with you when you've resisted a motorbike crash victim, and yet if you were with Alice or Edward you slipped at someone pricking their finger. Alice had you by the short and curlies, fuck we were all under her thumb. She told us where to be, when to be there. She always had the right thing to say, gave us whatever we needed. She endeared herself to us all, made herself indispensable."

Everyone was quiet, I don't know about the others but I was going over all the time that I had spent with Alice. It was filled with pouts, puppy dog eyes, and ways to make me feel self-conscious, but the way she said and did things it always made me feel like she was truly helping me and not trying to make me feel inferior. With hindsight, it's glaringly obvious. She played me, well and truly.

"Right, enough of this, we know that they've been a pair of Machiavellian betrayers, we need to concentrate on our plans and our next move. As it stands, they have no idea where we are or where we're going, thanks to Peter." Peter grinned at that, and I laughed short and quiet before continuing, "I know that you must have a plan of action and I was just wondering if someone could explain this whole training thing to me. I know that I'm not the foremost expert on being a vampire but I didn't think that there was anything involved in becoming a vampire other than a few bites."

I was moved, again, this time so that I was sat across Jasper's lap. This is getting ridiculous.

"You understand that gifted vampires are relatively rare?" I nodded. "Then you can understand that gifted humans are even more of an oddity." I wasn't impressed with being referred to as an oddity, even if the title did fit me, but I nodded anyway. "It is usually through specific bloodlines that gifted humans are born, the Swans being one of them. These bloodlines have been watched over since the Volturi was founded, watched over and protected. As Peter said before, you are highly sought after, Bella. Your gift would render the majority of the abilities useless, this is especially appealing to our enemies. Something that could negate the Guards abilities? Leave the Volturi open to attack? That's gold, Bella. The ultimate weapon caused by the ultimate defence."

I'm liking this less and less, but stayed quiet as there was obviously more. What help would voicing my opinions on how stupid it was to assume I was that important or useful.

"A vampire is almost like an exaggerated version of their human self. Certain traits and characteristics become more profound after the change and that is what also results in powers and abilities. So you can imagine the potential of a human who is already displaying a power. You already have a handle on it, albeit an unconscious thought on your part, but it is still there to be moulded and expanded. What Edward should have been doing with you these past months, was helping you to understand and control your shield. Expand it, have it evolve. As a human you are much more pliant and able to change, therefore your gift can too."

"Huh?" was my brilliant response. Well that was unexpected. "The way Edward used to talk about me was like I was defective; he used to harp on about FM and AM frequencies."

"Yeah well, Edward is a dick and training is something that can start once we're settled and we've made sure that Bella hasn't been brain fucked by said dick" Peter eloquently pointed out.

Well OK then.

That put the end to any further discussions and everyone drifted off talking in pairs, I still needed answers but to be honest my brain was working overtime as it was. Which, of course, my personal therapist/pharmacist/super-hot vampire picked up on.

"Let's get you fed, baby girl, give the revelations a rest for a while."

I just nodded and stood up, happy to note that Jasper was following me to the galley. I was surprised by the amount of food; surely if they can slip me past passport control then they can manage to explain why they only need food for one person. Fuck knows, don't care, need sustenance. I went for some pasta bake thing in Bolognese sauce, shoved it in the microwave, set the timer, and thanked the Lord for the wonder of modern machinery. I was not usually one for microwave meals, but at that point in time, when I felt like my brain might start to leak out of my ears, I was thankful for the easy efficiency of nuking a meal.

Jasper still hadn't said anything; he was leaning up against the far wall, ankles and arms crossed. I could feel his eyes follow me as I wandered about searching for a glass for my soda. I found one just as the microwave dinged to let me know it's finished. Drink in one hand, piping hot pile of fused together pasta in the other, I wandered back towards the lounge. I didn't get very far; Jasper relieved me of the plate and wandered off towards the bedroom.

"Guess I'll see you guys later then," I said to the room as a whole, and followed Jasper.

I may have been staring at his ass the whole way there. All these revelations and new…stuff…well, it seems to have opened up a brazen side of me that I'd locked down before. Having a boyfriend constantly 'keeping you in your place' does that to a girl, I guess. I closed the door behind me and went to the bed, curling up against the head board and used a pillow to settle my dinner on. I ate in silence for a while, not really taking any notice of the taste as I was more interested in the golden eyes that were watching me intently from his perch on the edge of the writing desk. Writing desk, I swear this plane is a flying hotel.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"Alright, Jasper, I assume you brought me in here to talk to me about something?"

I knew that the others would still be able to hear anything we said, but the illusion of privacy was welcome. He laughed, shaking his head, and sauntered over before gracefully lounging on the bed beside me. I set the empty plastic bowl down on the bedside table and turned to face him; he was smiling, his eyes shinning and he was all kinds of beautiful. I just looked at him; it was a pastime that I could get used to, who am I kidding? Staring at him is something that I have always done; this is just the first time I've had the pleasure of a close up.

"There was no ulterior motive, other than wanting to spend some time alone in your presence. I felt that you needed some breathing space, this is a difficult situation to come to terms with."

Gah, his voice! Deep and raw and sexy, warm and smooth, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it, along with everything else about him, was somehow mine.

"Yeah, I suppose this is a lot to take in." I shrugged. "You shouldn't worry about me though, I've only had a few months of their influence where as you and the rest of the family have had decades." I shook my head, frowning. "I don't get it; Edward was Carlisle's companion for years. How does someone just change like that?"

Jasper thought for a moment, his eyes unfocused. "I don't know Darlin', change is especially difficult for vampires. I didn't know Edward from before, so I can't comment as to his change in attitude. However, Alice, it seems, is skilled in deceit. She would have known exactly what to offer him to bring him onto her side, and it must have been huge for him to betray his father, his Sire."

After a second or two, Jasper took my hand and traced the tips of his fingers over my palm. "What I do know is that you are where you are supposed to be, and I will speak to you more about that after we land, but don't worry. We will be safe, for the time being at least. Now, I think that you should sleep, I'll step out while to ready yourself for bed. Would you…" he hesitated, "would you like me to stay with you?"

I grinned; he was looking at my hand as he spoke, tracing my life line like it was the most interesting thing in the world. I never imagined that Jasper would ever sound nervous and I loved that it was me that brought it out of him.

He glanced up at me then, and rolled his eyes. "You are feeling entirely too smug there Darlin'."

"Probably. Smug yes, but happy also and yes I would love for you to stay with me."

His smile came back full force; it was a good thing I was already sitting down or I might've embarrassed myself by falling over. It was my turn to glance away, my cheeks burning. His fingertips traced my cheeks and I jumped slightly at the unexpected coolness, involuntarily closing my eyes and fought not to purr like a damn cat. The frigid smoothness of his lips ghosted against mine and then he was gone, and I could do nothing other than sprawl over the bed. Happiness shot through me and I squealed like an overexcited school girl, stamping my arms and legs onto the mattress in an attempt to channel the nervous energy.

Get a grip girlie! Move, shower, change, sleep.

So I did just that. The pyjamas that I found were simple and comfortable and I slid between the sheets and called out softly to Jasper. He appeared seconds later and lay next to me, on top of the covers, and began to stroke my hair. Warm waves of comfort and peace washed over me, lulling me into slumber. But there was one thing I needed to know before slept.

"Jasper?" I mumbled. "Yeah, Darlin'?"

"Where are we going?"

He laughed quietly. "England."

My shock was quickly blanketed in calm; cheater.

"England?"

"Uh-huh, Darlin', now sleep."

And I did.

oOo

A cool breeze on my face brought me out of darkness; blinking a few times I finally took in my surroundings. Jasper was carrying me close to his chest; we were walking towards a huge house that seemed to be situated on the top of a hill. The house its self was three stories, facing away from the hill so that it looked down on the town below. It had been built in a deep red brick. I was surprised to find that the windows were relatively small, at least for what I would've expected from the Cullen's. It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, but we were simply away from the populace, akin to the mansion back in Forks.

"Are we on top of a hill?" I asked, punctuated with a yawn.

"Yes, Holcombe Hill to be exact. Come on, I'll take you to your room."

In a blur of scenery, he had me upstairs and in my new digs. There was everything that you would need in a room; bed, dresser, closet…ooh an en-suite. It was nice, not quite me, like that matters anyway. There are more things in my life to worry about than décor. Besides, knowing Esme it will be redecorated soon enough.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, not because I wanted to know so much, as to have something to say, other than 'Hey, look there's a bed…take me now!'.

"Everyone besides Rose and I left to feed as soon as the plane landed; they'll be back soon. Rose and I are staying here while the others hunt. Its slim pickings at the moment but we have things in place to enable us to feed properly. We'll go when they get back," he spoke as he blurred around my room, unpacking in seconds.

It was weird, one second his voice would be next to me, then across the room, over in the corner, back next to me, in the bathroom.

"If Peter isn't here, does that mean that we are open to Alice's visions?"

"No, you'll see why when you go into the lounge. There, all done, we can get you whatever else you might need later. Now, you clean up and meet me downstairs while I rustle up some grub for you."

"Just one thing before you go?" I asked, sounding thoughtful as I collected together a change of clothes.

"Anything, Bella." Those two words, right there. Sex. Eroticism. Maybe something more?

I genuinely wondered if I were to ask, would he give? I swallowed, my heart trying to break out of my chest, Jesus the effect that this man has over me. But it wasn't just sex, just physical, it was everything. It was butterflies and heat and need, rightness and love and god I just want to strip him naked. Naked Jasper in the shower, naked Jasper on my bed, naked Jasper in the sun, I'm guessing that everything sparkles; does Lady Ga Ga know something that we don't? Has she ridden a disco stick?

"Bella?" Jasper caught my attention, he was watching me with an amused look on his face and his eyebrow quirked.

He might not know what I was thinking, but he would have definitely gotten a read on my emotions. What's a girl to do when in the presence of an empath? Worry? Panic? Both? Probably, but there's nothing I can or want to do about it. So I'll just be.

"Sorry, went away with the faeries for a minute there." Cue blush, awkward throat clearing, "I just wanted to know how you got me past passport control, I mean did you seriously smuggle me into the country?"

He laughed and walked towards me, only looking up when he was oh so suddenly close enough to touch me. I'm pretty sure I forgot how to breathe.

"Carlisle is a vampire King with international connections and more money than God. There really isn't much we can't do."

Then he kissed me, on my lips, he kissed me. It was quick, just long enough not to be considered a peck, as if he were testing the waters. I think I whimpered.

"Meet me down stairs once you're done, Bella." I nodded and he disappeared.

He had, very thoughtfully, left a wash bag on my bed and hung towels in the bathroom so I just went with it. Well, actually I stood in that same spot for at least five minutes before moving into the shower. I found him stretched out on a sofa in the living room, looking like a big cat. He had a book in one hand and was drawing with the other. Oh to have a vampire's brain.

"Show off," I stated as I sat down.

"You'll be doing this and more soon enough." He disappeared, only to reappear second later with a plate full of sandwiches. "Here, I can't say I remember ever making a sandwich before so I hope they're alright."

I squealed as he suddenly swung me up, bringing me down onto his lap.

"I'm sure they're fine," I laughed out. "So are you gonna fill me in on why Alice will still be blind to us even without Peter?"

"That," he pointed to something on the wall.

I grudgingly got up, setting my plate down as I went, and walked over to it, at first thinking it was just a work of art, and realised with some horror that it was a collection of teeth. Big teeth. Big, sharp, pointy teeth. Just call me little red riding hood. I felt Jasper at my back, his coolness permeated the shirt I was wearing, I sighed as his hands came to rest on my hips, pulling me back slightly so that I leaned into him.

His sweet, icy breath ghosted and tickled across my ear as he spoke. "Werewolf teeth, even in death they provide protection. Alice cannot see something that she isn't or never has been, and she has definitely never been a werewolf. Each of us now carry one on our person; Eleazar and Kate picked theirs up when Peter called them. Speaking of." I followed his gaze to the front door, which chose that moment to spring open and a very excited Emmett came flying through it.

"Ramsbottom!" He yelled.

"Excuse me?" I laughed out, unsure whether he had gone mad or was simply insulting me.

"Ramsbottom, this here, now is Ramsbottom. Belsy, we live in a sheep's ass!"

He had me by my shoulders, punctuating his nonsense with little shakes. I looked to Jasper for help or an explanation or a gag for Emmett, anything really. It was Rose that came to my rescue, appearing behind him and backhanded his head. The sound hurt my ears but all Emmett did was roll his eyes, let go of my shoulders, and turn to Rose.

"I thought I'd told you to stop doing that, it's annoying as hell. Not to mention emasculating. I'm your husband, woman, not your child."

Yeah, I really didn't want to be in the middle of this particular domestic problem, I backed up into Jasper. Rose lifted one perfect eyebrow and then smacked him again, harder.

"And what have you been told about manhandling Bella? Hmm?" She bit out and then smacked him again. "Refer to me as 'woman' in that way again and it will not be the head on your shoulders that I hit next time!"

And then she gracefully walked over and sat down on the empty sofa. Rose told Emmett to be careful with me? Something to think about.

"Oh come on Rosie, you know you love me, there is no need to go threatening the King now is there?"

I threw Jasper a questioning look.

"He named his dick after Elvis."

Of course he did. I laughed so hard I almost fell over. Jasper caught me, of course.

"Nah man, Elvis named himself after my cock!" Emmett shouted.

Esme, Carlisle, and two others walked in, Carlisle was laughing and Esme looked like she was about to commit mass murder. I swear that Emmett paled when he saw her heading for him.

"Were you talking about your penis again, Emmett?" He nodded. "Have we not had a talk about this before?" He nodded again, I half expected him to start shuffling his feet. "And what did we agree about that?"

"That I am not to speak about my manly parts in public and that if you heard me disrespecting Elvis again that you would make me eat nothing but skunks for a year." He mumbled.

"And?" Esme prompted.

He cringed "And if I referred to a female, especially my mate, in a derogatory fashion then I would have to be a slave to every woman in the household until you say otherwise."

"That is correct, now I think your first task will be to apologise to Rosalie."

He wasted no time. "I really am so-"

"On your knees," Rose interrupted.

On his knees he went, I shook my head in disbelief at what I was witnessing.

"Rose, I am truly sorry for offending you, you are the love of my existence and I love and respect you with everything that I am. I did not mean to demean you in any way. You are a strong, beautiful and intelligent person. Please forgive me?"

It's funny really, you get used to seeing a person a certain way. I am used to seeing Rose scowling or simply disinterested; now I saw her crack a soft smile. For the first time I saw the love she held for Emmett, and I saw the reason why he loved her so much. She tried to hide it, of course, but Emmett saw it and swept her up into a tight embrace.

"So, my beauty, as your slave I offer myself up to your needs. Your wants and desires. What is it that you want, Rose, what is it that you desire?" Emmett's voice was so seductive it took me by surprise, and I watched Rose melt before my eyes.

She giggled. _Giggled!_

I think my eyebrows were in my hair. They disappeared out the door, mumbling something about hunting. Yeah, like anyone believed that one. Jasper looked relieved; I guess it can't be a good thing to be able to feel the lust of your brother and sister.

"Well, now that that is over I think it is time for some introductions." Esme brought the attention back to herself. "Bella, I would like you to meet Eleazar and Kate, our cousins from the Denali coven. They are both here to help with your training."

I smiled and the two vampires, Eleazar had a slight olive tint to his skin, betraying his Mediterranean origins. He was gorgeous, obviously, with a gentle face; friendly. Kate had long, incredibly straight, blonde hair, so blonde it was almost white, she was breathtakingly beautiful with almond shaped eyes and full pouty lips. I think my self-image dropped to my feet in her presence. She too was smiling, though there was a cheekiness in her eyes that reminded me of Emmett. I instantly knew that I would like them both.

Eleazar offered his hand. "Hello Bella, it certainly is a pleasure to meet you. I am sorry that it is not under better circumstances."

I took his hand, he held me like I might break. "It's nice to meet you too, both of you. Thank you for coming to help us, although I still haven't been filled in as to what is to happen."

Eleazar frowned and turned to Carlisle. "I was under the impression that Edward was seeing to her training."

"Edward has had Bella believing that she would not be going through the change, we have recently become aware that he was having her meditate as a cover for hypnosis. It seems that Edward wanted access to her mind," Carlisle replied, I shivered as I watched his eyes darken. I still wasn't used to this side of him.

"I see," Eleazar replied. "Do we know if he gained access?"

Jasper shook his head. "No, from what Bella has told us we are almost sure that he was unsuccessful but Alice must've seen a positive outcome for them otherwise he would not have kept it up night after night. They went to great lengths to earn Bella's trust; we think the tracker incident was their doing."

"They set that nomad tracker on you?" Kate surprised me by asking me directly, I was used to being in the background.

"Looks like. I overheard him telling someone that it wouldn't work unless I trusted him enough to let him in, apparently saving me from a psychotic vampire was the way to go." I shrugged, I was kinda over it.

No, that's a lie, what I am is saving it up until I'm face to face with them in all my vampire glory and then unleash said vampire glory all over them.

She shook her head. "I truly do not understand, I never thought Edward would be capable of betrayal. Carlisle, we are here at your disposal, what would you have us do?"

"Before we do anything we need to check Bella over, I believe this will be simple enough," Carlisle answered.

"Agreed. Bella, where would you be comfortable enough on the couch or would you rather be lying on a bed?" Jasper asked me.

"A bed, I think. That was how Edward did it, plus it would be easier to block out the light." I said.

I think everyone agreed. I wasn't sure because the air was suddenly rushing past me as Jasper ran me upstairs before depositing me on the bed. I glared at him for a second, everyone joined us in the room while I attempted to sort my hair out so that I no longer resembled Cousin It.

"You know Jasper; one of the first things I'm going to do when I'm all vamped up is to make you move at human speed everywhere," I said as I blew my hair out of my mouth.

That got laughs all around. _As if I'm joking_. I relaxed onto the bed and waited as Carlisle came and sat on the edge, to my right. Jasper stayed on my left and the others took up various points around the room.

"Jasper, I think it might be best if you stand with the others, I don't want to risk anything distracting Bella." Carlisle spoke carefully, I was surprised and pleased when Jasper seemed to war with himself before walking over to stand with Kate.

I made sure to catch his eye and smile at him, feeling all warm and fuzzy, before turning back to Carlisle. "Are we not going to wait for Peter and Charley?" I asked.

Carlisle smiled and turned to the door, a grinning Peter and Charley wandered through. "Sure you are, Little One; let's get this shit over with."

Carlisle nodded and turned back to me. "Are you comfortable Bella?"

I smiled, going so far as to snuggle further into the bed. "I'm all kinds of toasty."

"Then let us begin."

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 **E/N: I'd forgotten how much fun a cliff hanger could be. Leave me some love!**


	4. Awkward

**A/N: Once again, thank you for all of the reviews, and well wishes. My Grandfather passed away in the early hours of this morning, around 2am, surrounded by myself, my mum, and one of my aunts. He was surrounded by love. I held his hand as he passed and it was heartbreaking, but so thankfully peaceful at the end. There's comfort in knowing that he's with my Grandmother now, and no longer in pain, though the feeling is still incredibly raw. I completed the reformatting of this chapter yesterday, before I headed out to the hospital, and I'm posting it now before I head out to be with family. I just wanted to warn those reading this that the next chapter may take a few days, at least, to be posted.**

* * *

 _J~A~S~P~E~R_

"Then let us begin."

I knew that Carlisle meant Bella no harm. I knew that this needed to be done and that Carlisle was the one to do it. It didn't stop me from wanting to rip him away from her, to take his place. It didn't stop me from wanting to send everyone away so that I had her all to myself. Since the first time I saw Isabella Swan I knew in the most basic of ways that she was mine. But that damn deranged gnome insisted that I was going to hurt her, every single time that my resolve slipped and I decided to go to her Alice would swoop in, screaming for me not to hurt her best friend.

Edward's love was always tainted somehow; he had always been something of an oddball so I didn't dwell too much on it. The need to have Bella be safe is a visceral one, one that Alice and Edward have used to play me like a fucking violin. There are so many things I should've done, things that I shouldn't have believed. And even though what I felt from Edward wasn't what I felt from the other couples in the house, and it wasn't what I felt for Bella now, the belief that she was safe with him until I could control myself properly had been enough to keep me away. For the moment at least none of this was important, though, what mattered was whether or not that son of a bitch had tampered with Bella's mind.

"That's it Bella, deep breaths, now I want you to imagine a stair case. Can you see it?"

"Yes."

"Bella, I would like you to start to walk down and with each step stress will leave your body. Each step relaxes you more and more."

Bella's breathing began to slow as the tension left her limbs, Carlisle kept up his careful coaching and finally she was at the last step. Tasting her emotions was like tasting light its self, she was so clean at that moment, so content, so peaceful.

"Now Bella, with this last step I need you to let go of yourself, open your mind. As your feet come to stand on the ground you are safe, at peace and willing." He waited a few seconds before continuing. "Are you open Bella, are you willing?"

She didn't answer him, just lifted her arm from the bed and offered him her wrist.

Carlisle stiffened. "What are you doing Bella?"

"I am always to be ready." She said in a strange, emotionless monotone.

"Ready for what, Bella?"

"To provide sustenance," she answered without hesitation and still in that dead tone of voice.

Carlisle stared at each other with growing horror as we understood just what Edward had been doing to Bella. Apparently we had been quiet long enough because Bella spoke again.

"Would you like me to make the cut?" She asked and brought out a blade that had been secreted away in her bra; I grabbed it before she brought it to her skin.

She didn't even flinch, no reaction whatsoever…just stayed there with her arm stretched out in silent offering. I thought I had been enraged after finding out about Edward and Alice's deceit. I thought that I had reached my level as I ripped my shit of a wife's leg off. Nothing compared to how I felt at this moment, nothing. That bottom feeding asshole was now nothing but a pile of ashes walking.

"Carlisle." I didn't need to say anything else, he knew what I wanted.

My brother had moved to stand by the bed; I looked up to see rage plain on his face and buzzing around him like an angry shadow. We stared at each other, before he reached down to the hand that was still holding Bella's wrist. The one she retrieved the razor with.

"Let go, Brother," he said softly. It wasn't till that moment that I realised how hard I was gripping her wrist.

"Shit."

I swiftly drew back her sleeve to check for damage. The red hand print caught my notice first, standing out in stark contrast to her creamy skin. Then I noticed the sliver scars, I pulled her sleeve up further and finally ripped it up to her shoulder to uncover more skin. Her arm was covered, at the wrist and elbow, with thin silver marks. They matched the bite mark on her other wrist, he had obviously sealed the cuts with his venom after drinking from her. My low growl was echoed around the room as they all witnessed the evidence of Edward's depravity. I felt Carlisle's hand on my shoulder, comforting. I didn't want comfort, I wanted Edward's ashes. I wanted to hear his screams as I ripped him apart.

Carlisle's voice broke through to me calmly commanding. "Jasper, go to the compound and feed, I will reverse her programming and investigate further."

"I'm not leaving her," I bit out, my voice distorted.

"Carlisle is right, Jasper, take Peter with you. We will have more answers when you get back; you're in no fit state to handle this right now. Bella needs you in full control, go find your calm again."

Eleazar's words made sense; there was no arguing with them. But shit, I didn't want to leave her.

"Come on, Bro, let's get you fed. She's safe here, you know that. She needs you strong, not strung out."

I nodded, got up, followed Peter out of the room, and out of the house. I set off at a run towards the deer park, a few miles away. It wouldn't do for regular hunts, but it was there in a pinch.

"Jasper!" Peter called out from behind me. "No man, no deer for you. Carlisle said to take you to the compound and that's where we're going."

"It'll..."

Peter interrupted me. "Take longer to get there and back, I know that. But a couple of mountain lions will sustain you better than some pussy ass deer. Besides, the run will help to clear your head after that mind fuck."

He didn't wait for an answer, just flitted away from me. The compound is something that we have set up in places that are lacking in decent food for us. England isn't exactly known for its big game. To anyone that asks, it's nothing but an indulgence of a rich business man, to us it's a life line in a country where decimating the rabbit population could be a real problem. It is run by another of the Volturi's human employees, so disposal of the body was no problem. Peter took a perch at the top of one of the trees in the artificial habitat while I gorged myself on mountain lion.

The first animal caught the brunt of my rage and was unidentifiable once I was done with it. The second didn't fare much better, the third got off with a clean death. It was times like this that I missed the rush of human blood. That thought just brought back the memory of Bella's scars. Peter jumped down and landed next to me, waiting for me to speak.

"I'm going to kill him," I stated.

"Yep."

"I'm going to destroy them both."

"Oh yes, they'll definitely get what's coming to them."

I stood. "We need to get back."

He nodded and we sped off, I'd been away from Bella for far too long. Everyone was seated in the living room when he got back, as soon as Bella saw me she jumped up from in between Charley and Kate and ran for me. I met her halfway, catching her as she literally threw herself at me. Her arms wrapped around my neck as her legs wound around my waist and she buried her face in my neck. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, revelling in her scent and everything that it just Bella. She was full of relief, but I didn't miss the underlying fear and almost overwhelming anger. She clung to me with what I was sure, was her full strength. God I loved her, so much so that I could feel absolute happiness at having her in my arms even in the midst of all of this shit.

Her voice was muffled, with a slight tremor, when she finally spoke. "Father told me what that, that bastard had been doing to me. I didn't know, I swear I didn't know. I have no recollection of carrying a razor on me or any discomfort anywhere or making the conscious decision to wear long sleeved shirts."

I sat down with her still entwined around me, stroking her back and enveloping her in a blanket of every positive emotion I could conjure up. My silly girl was looking to blame herself.

"Bella, sweetheart, there ain't no blame for you in all of this. You listen to me now, and listen good..." I raised her head so that she would meet my eyes. "He will pay for this and I swear I will make him suffer for everything that he has done to you."

She nodded and her longing spiked, I smiled knowing that she wanted to curl into me again. I let her relax into me, still stroking up and down her back, laying the odd kiss on top of her head. I could feel her breathing in heavily every so often, her nose close to my skin, my scent offering her even more comfort. I looked to Carlisle, wanting to know what else he uncovered and whether or not he had managed to break Edward's control over Bella.

"The only conditioning that we found was to do with bloodletting, hiding her scars and keeping the razor on her person. We experimented with setting one request ourselves and found that as soon as her shield was back in place that it no longer had any effect. Edward would have had to have Bella in a trance in order to drink from her; it also explains why they didn't take further advantage of her. Yet she carried a razor secreted on her person, without her knowledge, so part of her subconscious remembered the more subtle instructions. The only explanation I have for that is that Edward must have repeated the instructions each time and eventually they took effect. Be assured that I have cleared her mind of the intrusion." He stood and walked to the front of the room, stepping into his role as Elder of our kind. "Tomorrow we begin Bella's training, Edward's actions, while horrific, have shown us that Bella is already capable of controlling her shield. I want to know where they are, what they're doing, what they're planning. Demetri has been unable to get a lock on them, we don't know why. My brothers have requested a formal hearing once they have been caught. The outcome is set in stone, but I am sure that we all want answers."

Eleazar spoke up. "Bella's blood." Everyone looked towards him, curiosity rampant. "The answer to why Demetri is unable to locate them. It's the same principle as the werewolf teeth."

"They drank my blood so that they could utilise my shield? Does that mean that Alice was mute to Edward?" Bella asked without lifting her head from my shoulder.

"No, a vampire cannot absorb the gifts of another through drinking their blood, while I am not doubting that he or they partook in that particular exercise, I would guess that they collected some to keep on their person, as we do with the werewolf teeth," Eleazar explained.

I nodded, my mind working on overdrive. "Makes sense, so we're blind for the moment. Peter, can you get a read on them?"

He shook his head. "Nope, but you know how my gift works; shit just comes to me and I act on it. I don't go looking for shit. Snippets, feelins's, the whole story…no sense does my Yoda sense make."

"Fine, the conventional way it is then." I looked down when Bella sighed against me, fast asleep. Not wanting to leave her side, but needing to stay downstairs, I made her comfortable on the sofa before continuing. "Em, get your nerd hat on and get digging, you know all their aliases but I doubt they're using anything we know. They both have set habits, use them against them but keep in mind that they may have split up. Rose, do your thing with Jenks and get him on the case."

They both sped to their office.

"Eleazar, Kate, you'll be helping Peter and I with Bella's training. We need her ready ASAFP." I watched as Jasper took control of the room. It really was rather impressive. "We need to work based on the notion that we are unlikely to find them; the lack of visions when it comes to us will only keep details away from Alice and Edward. As soon as she sees her future disappear she'll run to wherever it reappears. The same could be done for finding our location. Bella is not to be left with any less than two of us, at any time. Right now I need to get Bella to bed."

"I agree, Jasper, I need to speak with my brothers. We will convene again in a few hours." After dismissing us, Carlisle went to his own office.

I carried Bella to bed, giving her over to Esme to change and then tucked her into the duvet before lying down next to her. I wanted to make sure that she had no nightmares, with everything that is coming up; she's going to need all the quality sleep she can get.

B~E~L~L~A

Waking up feeling well rested and calm was one thing, realising that Carlisle had hypnotised me was quite another. Add onto that being told that Edward had been using me as his personal blood buffet was the proverbial cherry on top. I felt violated, used. I was scared, terrified even. Carlisle promised me that he had cleansed my mind and that my defences had not been completely compromised, though he could only speculate on why the compulsion to hide the razor had remained even after my shield was back in place. His leading theory was that if Edward gave me the instruction every time he hypnotised me that it had eventually stuck.

A horrific thought had occurred to me then, and it had taken me several tries to stop stumbling over my words before I was able to ask if that was the only thing that he had done to me. I needed to know if he had taken my virginity along with my blood. The relief I felt when Carlisle assured me that he had found no such evidence in my mind that that had been the case, but if it would put my mind at rest he was willing to give me a physical examination. Spreading my legs for my father figure and having him fiddle about in my most intimate parts wasn't something that I thought I would ever agree to, but I wanted to know if that bastard had raped me.

Embarrassment be damned.

Carlisle had asked that I wait until he spoke to Jasper and that I definitely agreed to. I had a feeling that Jasper would react badly otherwise. Charley and Kate had tried to keep me busy and distracted as we waited for Jasper and Peter's return. I hated that he wasn't there when I woke up, but more than understood his need to leave. I knew that Peter would look after him. I never meant to, but as soon as I saw him I ran for him. I needed to feel him, to have his coolness surround me, to bask in his tangy scent, to just be with him.

I woke up to find it dark outside, my sleeping pattern was completely fucked up, with no real routine any longer. There were no days and nights for me anymore, simply awake and asleep. Jasper was beside me, tracing his handprint on my wrist and the scars that had been left by Edward. I could hardly see them, and only when in direct light. I was thankful that they weren't that noticeable to me, but it had me looking for them every chance I got.

"Hey," I said softly, I knew what he was thinking. I reached up and tried to smooth out the crease between his brows. "Don't you feel guilty, Jasper, I won't have it. This is in no way your fault."

He shook his head, still not looking at me, his attention fixed on my bruises. "This is though, I hurt you Bella. For god's sake, Peter had to tell me to let go of your wrist."

"You were angry; you had just found out that I had been mind fucked into being Edward's blood donor. I know that you would never cause me harm on purpose. I don't blame you Jasper. I like that you would react so strongly to my pain. It doesn't even hurt, see? I just bruise easily."

I flexed my wrist in demonstration. He was quiet for a moment before finally meeting my eyes and then promptly changing the subject.

"Carlisle talked to me about giving you a pelvic examination. I hadn't even thought about that. I...," his normally calm demeanour cracked, his eyes flashing dark before he hid them behind his lids. "I hadn't even considered that."

"Do you want me to have the exam?" I asked; my voice quiet.

"No, no I don't want to have Carlisle down there, I don't want anyone other than me down there," he laughed humourlessly, missing my inappropriate flush at his words, "but I understand the need, though he did warn me that it might be inconclusive."

I frowned. "How so?"

"Apparently it would be unusual for someone your age and predisposition to falling over to still have an intact hymen. The use of tampons could also have broken it." _Brain bleach for the father/mate discussion on my hymen and tampons, please._ "He said that there might be evidence of stretching or…or tearing," his voice lowered as he spoke, distorted with the undertone of a growl. "I think I need to agree to the exam for my own sanity. I wouldn't be able to function without knowing one way or the other."

I nodded, understanding completely. I felt exactly the same. "Then we'll have Carlisle do it. Damn, this is gonna be embarrassing."

He chuckled, amusement evident in it this time. It was a welcome sound. "Embarrassment? That's what you're worried about?"

"Hey, leave me to my less consequential worries; it's the easiest one to concentrate on."

He didn't say anything, just cupped my cheek and leaned down to me. I had a second to worry about any possible dragon breath before his lips were on mine and nothing else mattered. The kiss was soft, tentative almost, but my chest tightened and my heart raced all the same. I let him lead, so used to Edward rebuking any advances I made. I was so surprised that I jumped away from him when I felt the icy shock of his tongue against my bottom lip. He was frozen in place, his eyebrows in his hair, obviously wondering what was wrong with the crazy person in front of him.

Personally, I was wondering that same thing. Who the hell jumps away from their sweetie when they're kissing them? Me, apparently. He took in my wide eyes, gaping mouth. Shit, I must look like a freaking blowfish. I made the effort to at least close my mouth.

"Is something wrong? Did you not want me to deepen the kiss?"

Deepen the kiss? I swooned, that just sounded so…so…wonderfully reminiscent of the bodice rippers I secretly read.

Then I snorted, outright, wholly unattractively, snorted. "Nothing is wrong, and of course I would like to have the kiss...er...deepened. But...er..." I did not want to bring Edward up right now. "I had been told that it wasn't possible, that it was too dangerous to...um...you know...deepen the kiss. I've never done…that. Ever. With anyone. It was a bit of a shock."

There, that was almost coherent. The heat that must be coming off my face right now must be reaching nuclear proportions.

"I love that," he said, smiling like the proverbial cat and stroking his icy fingers down my burning cheek.

"Love what? My complete incompetence when it comes to intimacy?"

He didn't laugh, just held my eyes with his golden ones. I watched, enthralled as the pupil expanded, leaving no evidence of their golden hue behind. When he spoke, his voice was thick, almost rough and made every single one of my nerve endings tingle with anticipation.

"I love that you are all mine, that barring certain complications..." his words disappeared into a growl at the end, certain complications being whether or not Edward violated me sexually. "Oh the things I have to teach you, Bella."

Teach me? Oh, I liked the sound of that. I went to him, this time the kiss was heated, passionate and resonated down the length of my body. My hand went to his hair, my body moulded to the front of his and when I felt the wetness of his tongue I tentatively parted my lips for him. My god, the feel of him! I think I groaned, I know I arched into him, pressing against him and when his hand ran down my side, his thumb ghosting over the side of my breast and coming to rest on my thigh, which he then pulled up so that my leg draped over his hip.

My actions were instinctive, rocking my hips against him, swirling my tongue around his. His taste was phenomenal; it was his sweet and tangy scent in concentrate. He grabbed my ass, pulled me harder against him, his chest vibrated with a continuous purr. His mouth left mine and I greedily sucked in the air that I had forgotten I needed. Then his mouth was on my neck; sucking and licking, leaving an icy trail that tingled in the most pleasurable way. He stopped, his face buried in my neck and breathing heavily. I felt him smile against my skin and tried to collect my thoughts back together.

My words came out breathless, strained almost. "Why did you stop?"

"Trust me; it wasn't for lack of want." He proved his point by grinding his 'want' into me, causing me to utter a not so quiet 'fuck!' He brought his head up, his face serious. "Carlisle has asked that we get the exam over and done with so that we can get started on your training."

My eyes did their blowfish impression again, Jesus I'm in a house surrounded by vampires. Each and every one of which would know exactly what we had just been up to. I groaned, hiding my face. How in the world did I forget that? Yeah, I have a feeling that Jasper had something to do with that.

"Right, yes, exam. I'll jump in the shower." I jumped up, slightly unsteady.

Luckily for me Jasper is a vampire and able to move at incredible speed. Otherwise I would've ended up on my ass at the side of the bed.

"Easy there, Darlin'. Do you need help in the shower?" He asked, suggestively.

I giggled, outright giggled and grinned like a moron.

"I...er...don't think that that would be very conducive to me having a quick shower," and then mumbled under my breath "More like a quickie in the shower." Of course, he heard me.

"Oh Darlin', if I were to join you in the shower, I can promise you that nothing about it would be quick."

There he goes again; all sex voice, sex eyes and sex smile. I swallowed, loudly, wondering if he could make my panties disintegrate on sight and trying to remember why we weren't still in bed together...or in the shower for that matter. Overly embarrassing but horribly needed examination!

"Down boy, nothing that you are saying will help me get ready any faster. Scoot!" Brownie points to me, I actually sounded normal.

"No, I don't suppose it would. I'm afraid I'm finding it hard to care about that right now."

His grin was positively sinful and it took a monumental amount of will power, I didn't even know I possessed, to shake my head at him and walk into the bathroom. I swear though, that short walk and the effort it took to walk without falling down, took everything out of me and I had to lean against the sink to gather myself before turning the shower on to warm up.

Jasper was waiting for me when I walked back into the bedroom, bare beneath my robe. His eyes widened slightly, not that I could imagine why, I was wearing a towelling robe and look more like the stay puff marshmallow man, rather than anything sexy. Men.

"Carlisle asked that you lay on the on the towel and cover your legs with the sheet. Call him when you're situated." He paused for a moment, deliberating something. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

"Oh." I hadn't thought about it, as nervous as I was about the whole thing. "Do you want to stay with me?" I can't imagine that it would be easy for him.

"Bella, if you need me here then I will stay."

"No, no I don't think it would be a good idea. It'll be bad enough without witnesses, but...you'll be there as soon as it's over, right? You'll be there as soon as it's done?"

I was close to tears then, the fear of the very real possibility that I had been raped seemed to hit me all at once. One second I was in the bathroom doorway, looking at Jasper from across the room, the next I was in his arms, listening to nonsensical but soothing words and basking in his presence.

"I'll be there, I'll be right in the hall, I promise, Darlin', and I'm not going anywhere ok? As soon as Carlisle tells me he's finished I will be by your side."

"Ok," I breathed in deeply and let it out in a loud whoosh. "Ok, out you go and I'll get ready. Let's get this cleared from over our heads."

With a swift kiss he did as I asked. I tied my hair up in a bun and lay on the towel, covering myself with the sheet per Carlisle's instructions. I stayed in my robe out of convenience. Tears pricked my eyes as panic began to overwhelm me, then all was well and calm and all things warm and cosy. I smiled, and whispered a thank you to Jasper before calling out to Carlisle. He came in a second later, setting his bag of tricks on the bedside table, quietly getting ready for the task ahead. The rest of the house was quiet, the usual background noise absent. I didn't envy Jasper's ability to literally sense the tension in the house.

"Bella, I know that you have never had anything like this done before, so I understand that you are nervous. I will do a visual assessment to begin with; I will warn you before I start the physical exam. It shouldn't hurt, but it might be a little uncomfortable. Do you have any questions?" He spoke so softly, but I could see the worry plain on his face.

I shook my head, fighting to keep control. I didn't want to do this, I hated that this was necessary. I stared at the ceiling like it was the most interesting thing in the world as Carlisle lifted the sheet.

"Bend your legs, feet flat on the bed, please, Bella?" I did as he asked. "Now, keeping your feet together, allow your knees to drop to either side." Again I did as he asked, exposing myself to him. He was quiet for a moment; I was just trying to visualise myself anywhere but there. "Ok, I'm going to touch you now, Bella. Try and relax for me ok?"

I nodded, emphatically, turning away and looking into the bathroom, the tears finally spilled over when I felt his cold, clinical touch. He was right, it didn't hurt but it was damn uncomfortable, however, it was over much sooner than I expected. I suppose there are many uses for vampire speed. He covered me up and told me he was finished, I sat up and brought my robe tight around me. I heard a snap and turned to see him disposing of a pair of plastic gloves, before calling for Jasper and disappearing into the bathroom. Exactly as he had promised Jasper was by my side before I could blink, he wasted no time in wrapping his arms around me, whispering that it was going to be alright. We both watched as Carlisle came back into the room, Jasper was the only thing that kept me together.

* * *

 **E/N: Leave me some love...**


	5. And then there was stupid

**A/N: You guys are all so very sweet! Thank you so much for all of the kind words and support, they have meant so much to me over the past few days. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

* * *

 _B~E~L~L~A_

Exactly as he had promised Jasper was by my side before I could blink, he wasted no time in wrapping his arms around me, whispering that it was going to be alright. We both watched as Carlisle came back into the room, Jasper was the only thing that kept me together. He smiled that reassuring doctor smile before speaking.

"There was no visual evidence of penetration, your hymen is no longer intact but it did not seem to be a recent occurrence or due to penetration of any kind. It was obvious from my examination that you have not had intercourse." His smile turned brilliant. "I am confident that Edward did not take advantage of you in that way, at least."

"Oh, thank you God!" I exclaimed; clutching onto Jasper as our combined happiness and relief coursed through me. "Thank you, Carlisle. I'm sorry that you had to…you know."

Is there an appropriate thing to say in this situation? 'Thank you, father for delving into my girly parts to make sure that my cherry remains up-popped.', yeah, I don't think so.

"Please, my daughter, think nothing on it. I'll leave you two to it now. Jasper, can you and Bella meet us outside within the half hour?" He accepted Jasper's nod and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Can I just say that it feels like the house itself has lightened? Everyone was so worried for you Darlin', you are well loved by everyone here." He kissed my forehead, clutching me tighter.

I took a deep breath. "So I guess I had better get sorted. I feel like I need another shower."

"Hop to it then, Sweetheart." He swiftly set me on my feet and swatted my ass.

"Hey! I'm moving, I'm moving!" I laughed out, heading for the shower.

It was quick, of course, with no need to wash my hair again, but I did take advantage of the hot running water to get rid of the last of the stress I had been holding in. All that was left at the end of my shower was the anger that I was storing up for when I'm face to face with the two little bastards. I grabbed a pair of sweats and a tank top, paranoia got the best of me and I checked over everything for any hidden razor blades. There was none. Jasper appeared as soon as I opened the door, picking me up and zooming outside.

There was a large grove, given privacy by the surrounding huge trees and foliage. Everyone was there, chatting to each other and then smiling at me. One after the other I received hugs from the family, but I almost died of shock when Rose followed the others example. She pulled away, without looking at me and flitted off to stand by Emmett, resting her head against him as he laid an arm on her shoulder.

I just muttered a quiet "ok" and turned to where Jasper was standing with Peter, Eleazar, and Kate. "So…what are we gonna be doing here?" I asked, more than ready to get on with it. The relief from before had left me with one hell of a high.

"You, my little human, are going to find your inner Jedi and expand that shield of yours to protect someone others as well as yourself," Peter said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"And how am I going to do that?" Not that I was sceptical about my abilities or anything. Honest.

"That's where I come in." Kate said, reaching over to Jasper and lightly touching his arm.

Jasper jumped, snatching his arm away.

"A little warning next time please, Kate," he grumbled while rubbing his arm.

She laughed "That was nothing, Jas, don't be such a baby. Bella, my power is like an electrical shock. It's an illusion, but it lay out a vampire when I want, or need, it to. I can control the intensity of the shock, as well as induce it from any bare skin that an enemy comes in contact with. " She flitted over to me and had her hand on my shoulder before I could blink. "See? Illusion." She smiled down at me, "I have no effect on you whatsoever.

I nodded, "Well, that's good. But how am I supposed to shield someone else when I don't even know how this shield thing works?"

"It is a tangible thing Bella, a part of you in the same way as your arms and legs. To me it is as if your skin shimmers, like warm air on the horizon," Eleazar explained, he obviously caught on to my confusion. "I can sense the power in others; name the gift if you will."

"Ah, ok." Still not seeing how I would be able to do what they're asking.

Jasper spoke next "To start with, we're gonna help you to find and get a feel for your shield. The rest should follow after."

"What do I do?" I asked.

"Close your eyes Darlin'," Jasper said softly. I did as he requested. "Concentrate on feeling your body, your fingers, hands, arms, toes, feet, and legs. Listen to your breathing, your heartbeat. Listen to your body."

Eyes closed I regulated my breathing, concentrating on the motion, the feeling and the sound. My heartbeat sounded loud in my ears, slowing as my breath became slower, more regular. I imagined that I could hear the whoosh whoosh of my blood as it pumps through my veins, to my arms and legs, hands and feet, fingers and toes. After, I don't know how long, I was more aware of my body than I ever had been before.

If there were any sounds outside of myself, I was not aware of them. In that moment there was me and only me. Then I felt it, like an echo of my own skin, it wasn't what I had expected. When people talked about me having a shield I thought of it in terms of force fields. But it was more an extension of me, buzzing through, behind and just above my skin. I felt it ripple, it was such a curious feeling that I laughed. My laughter brought me out of myself, the shock of coming back to the real world was like a smack in the face and I would have ended up on my ass if Jasper hadn't caught me.

"Well that was a trip and a half!" I exclaimed, trying to get a handle on myself again. It was then that I noticed that the sun was high in the sky. "Whoa, how long was I standing here?"

Peter shot a glare towards Jasper before answering. "Almost seven hours, your man here had to be restrained at one point from trying to bring you back." He shook his head. "Honestly, he was like a mother hen the way he was fussing over you. No trust anymore, I'm hurt." Peter had a hand over his heart and false hurt in his voice, the silly fucker even mimed wiping tears from his face.

"Bro, you're an ass," Jasper pointed out, the laughter that followed it kind of negated his insult.

"Seven hours? Really? No wonder my stomachs screaming at me." _And I really need to fucking pee._ As soon as I acknowledged the need to relieve my bladder, it became a threat. "Jasper, get me to the bathroom before I embarrass myself!"

He laughed the whole way to the house, the whole time I was in the bathroom, and the whole way back to where we started. It got old after the first minute.

"Can it Jasper! I'm human, I pee. It really isn't that funny."

That just made him laugh harder. Jasper sat down with me on his lap, next to a plate of sandwiches and a glass of juice that had appeared during my emergency bathroom break. I ate like it was going out of fashion. I couldn't believe that I had stood there for seven hours, sure sore muscles and a full bladder helped to confirm it, but it still only felt like a few minutes. Ten at the most maybe. Soon enough it was Question Bella Time.

"I assume that you were successful?" Eleazar asked.

"Yeah, it was amazing. I'd expected something like a force field, a la Star Trek, but it wasn't. It's me, but me as if I were nothing but energy, the best way I can describe it is that it's like a filter. An echo of myself that…filters."

I could still feel it buzzing through me.

Peter snorted. "A force field, what did you think you were…the deflector shield?" He shook his head mumbling, 'force field, seriously' under his breath. I chose to ignore him. Cheeky fucker.

"Anyway," I dismissed him, choosing instead to carry on the discussion, "Is it likely to take that long next time?" I asked. I was going to be pretty useless if it's going to take me all day to get myself up and running.

 _Hey, dudes that want to kill me? Mind waiting a few hours until I'm good to go? Kthanxbai._

"I doubt it; you can still feel it can't you? You don't have to go searching for it again, not now that you're aware of it," Peter pointed out.

"How the hell did you kn...," I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. "Never mind. So what now, Boss?" I asked Jasper.

He smiled and kissed my cheek before whispering in my ear.

"I like it when you refer to me as your Boss, Bella. It makes me feel like I can do anything to you, have you do anything to me."

Holy shit, where did that come from and what the hell was I meant to say to it? Would I be undermining all the years of feminism and girl power if I swooned and said 'take me now'?

I came out with. "Uh-huh."

Epic. Lameness.

"Jasper, leave the poor girl alone. She needs her wits about her for the next couple of hours," Charley admonished him, followed by a Rosaliesque smack to the back of his head.

He didn't even flinch, just murmured a soft 'Sorry, baby' in my ear and let me go.

"Now for the hard part, you need to expand your shield to encompass Jasper. Give it a go. Jasper, get a hold of her, it'll be easier if she's touching you," Peter said that like he had told me to touch my nose with my finger. As if it wasn't going to be difficult in the slightest.

Alright, I could do this, hopefully without standing stock still for seven hours. I let out a breath and concentrated on my shield, it was vibrating around me, through me, same as before. Channelling every superhero movie I could think of I gave it a silent command. Expand. Nothing. I put a little more will behind the thought. _Expand_. Nothing, nada, not even a ripple like before. I scrunched up my face in concentration; I probably looked like I need to go to the toilet again.

Expand!

Cover, Jasper!

Get bigger? Still nothing.

By the power of Grey Skull!

Ok, now I'm just getting ridiculous. I concentrated on slowing my breathing and then went back to my shield. I knew I had felt it move, felt it shift, when I was entranced with it earlier. So why the hell was I having trouble with the damn thing now? A-ha! The light bulb went on above my head and I had an internal Eureka moment. I was trying to push the shield, I need to be the shield, become one with it again. I need to stop watching martial arts movies.

Ignoring my own thoughts, I let myself feel the buzz of the energy, and finally felt it respond. It was small, a breeze over a still lake, but it was something. I tried to get it to grow again; it was like pushing against stretched elastic with just enough give to allow you to move in a smidge. I was getting a headache. I suddenly felt Jasper shift, his thumb stroking across my knuckles. His presence shifted my shield, or maybe my awareness of it? Then I knew, I just knew what I could do.

I opened my eyes and stared at our joined hands, I could see my shield, see it shimmering around me. I guided and coaxed it to cover Jasper's hand, once it had purchase over his fingers it became easier and I slowly, but surely, covered him from head to toe. Then I grinned like a fool.

"Done!"

"About damn time, it's been another hour," Rose moaned from across the way.

I ignored her.

I turned to Jasper. "Can you feel it?"

He looked a little confused. "Not exactly, I feel like I should feel something, if that makes any sense."

I laughed "Not really." He just shrugged, what else was there to say?

"Kate."

One word from Peter and she appeared next to Jasper and grasped his arm. She looked perplexed, concentrated some more and then her face broke into a shit eating grin.

"I gave you my best there, Jasper, you didn't feel a thing?"

Jasper shook his head. "Other than your hand on my arm, nothing. Well done, Darlin'." He squeezed me tightly.

"Good, now let's do it again," was all Peter said.

Woo hoo.

We did it again and again and again. I managed to get it down to just over ten minutes for it to cover someone. They had me try it on everyone, even Rose. It worked on everyone, even Rose. Though the prospect of allowing it to fail was strong and so very, very real. Ten minutes is a lot better than it had started out, but it was still way too long. Peter and Eleazar were both convinced that I should just be able to cover any person or persons in one fell swoop. I was convinced that they're both cuckcoo and had way too much faith in me.

They even gave me homework. Yay me.

That night I was to meditate, the real thing this time, no hypnotism and no malicious intent. That, and to concentrate on my control. Jasper, being the wonderful male that he is, led me through my meditation as he'd lead me through finding my shield. It was all cleansing breaths in and cleansing breaths out; no stairs and no asking me for anything. He simply helped me centre myself. Very new age, my mother would've loved it.

I felt at pang in my chest at the thought of Renee, but her chipper-as-alwaysness during her emails allowed me to filed her away in to my 'worry about later' box. It carried on like that for the next week; training all day and meditation before bed. I was getting better, frustratingly slowly, but it was noticeable. Everyone was all excited at my progress, I was just dead tired. Exhausted doesn't even begin to cover how tired I was. I was constantly drained and I desperately wanted some alone time with Jasper. Or just some time to do something other than training.

Emmett found no trace of either Edward or Alice and neither did Jenks or his people. The Volturi had agents everywhere but they had also heard nothing. The Elders had issued orders that all guard members, operatives and allies are to at least pass through Volterra to have an audience with Aro and his gift. With everything that has happened, no one is taking any chances. The consensus is that Gnome and Firecrotch were using cash and lying low. Everyone would feel better if we knew their whereabouts, but we all took some small comfort that they're at least out of our hair for the time being.

One week after training started I was back outside with Jasper and Peter, everyone else was out hunting, but they still insisted that I practice. So there we were, Peter and Jasper were arguing over something and I was tuning them out. I was tired, the last thing I wanted to do was expend any more energy. To be honest I was bored, bored of doing the same thing over and over again. I wanted a breakthrough, something to spur me on. Instead I was stagnating, unable to overcome the problems that were keeping me from just expanding my shield instead of having it grow bit by bit.

I was playing with a blade of grass when I saw it, a black streak coming from the opposite side of the grove. I had just about enough time to scream before Peter and Jasper intercepted what turned out to be a black robed figure. Well, vampire. They were too fast for me to follow properly; it reminded me of cartoon fights where all you see is a whirl wind and the odd arm or leg. I had never been so scared in my life, not with James, not when the van was careening towards me.

My mate was in danger and there was fuck all that I could do about it. The only solace I had was that it was two on one. But then there was another vampire with us and that solace went out the window. This one was also cloaked but small, early teens small. Then Peter was screaming and writing on the ground and Jasper was backing up, trying to keep a protective stance on both me and his brother. The first stranger dragged a still screaming Peter away before Jasper could do anything. I knew that help wouldn't be coming, they were hours away.

The teen sized vampire turned its attention towards us. She looked to have maybe made it into her teens before she was changed, and if it wasn't for the bright red eyes she would've looked like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Which, thinking about it, now that she's a vampire it probably wouldn't. Concentrate damn it!

"Do I have to demonstrate my abilities again, Jasper? I do hope so; you are exquisite when writhing in pain." Her voice sent chills down my spine.

"You can give me the illusion of pain but you would never be able to make me feel the real thing, little one." Jasper actually sounded calm.

It was impressive really; I was cowering and scared out of my mind for Peter. Wait a minute… Illusion, Jasper said the pain was an illusion. Meaning that I'm immune, if I can touch Jasper then he will be too. He was too far in front of me, and how the hell was he supposed to fight and keep contact with me. Not to mention getting the nice, evil vampire to wait a few minutes for me to cover him.

"No matter, you will hurt all the same and we will still have Isabella," she said with way too much enthusiasm for my liking.

She cocked her head to the side, as if contemplating something and then Jasper was screaming and writhing in agony. No! No, no, no, no, NO! I felt a rush and then the familiar buzz sprang forward and covered Jasper. It took all of two seconds. He was up instantly, I expected him to attack, but instead he turned to me with a huge smile on his face and started towards me. I wanted to rage at him, ask him why the hell he was showing his back to the enemy. Why the hell he's grinning like an idiot instead of going after his brother. But then I had a horrible thought, a thought that I shouldn't be having because surely they wouldn't do this to me. Not after everything. I looked back to the child and found her smiling what seemed to be a genuine smile.

"Impressive." She said. Fucking, impressive?

Peter came out of the trees then, looking unsure, hell Jasper had stopped coming towards me. No doubt getting a taste of my pissed off state of mind. The huge vampire that had 'attacked' Peter was just as tall as him and now that he had removed his cloak I could see that he was smiling at me. He apparently hadn't picked up on my mood. Then the best part happened, as it turned out the whole family was actually there. They were in the background watching.

Nice. Very nice.

Peter and Jasper were standing side by side and just watching me. I made a decision.

"Kate, my shields still up, wanna test it?" I tried to keep my voice light, but I think it came out more manic than anything else.

"Sure." She looked and sounded hesitant but came up to Jasper all the same.

Now that the cat was out of the bag, so to speak, it was easy as pie to cover Peter with my shield as well. Kate touched Jasper and of course she had no effect.

"Touch them both at the same time, I have them both covered, so don't worry about hurting either of them, make sure to give it your full power," I said sweetly.

Jasper was frowning, Peter just looked resigned. Jasper turned a questioning look to his brother; Peter just shrugged and pulled his sleeve up so Kate would have skin to skin contact. She touched them both and when nothing happened, Jasper visibly relaxed. That was when I snatched the shield back and they fell to the floor, groaning and wracked with painful spasms.

"Don't you think I've been manipulated enough?" I shouted once they had collected themselves together. "What the hell did you think that I would do after this…this…this fucked up game? Well, well done guys, my shield is more responsive, kudos to both of you, now don't fucking talk to me until I say otherwise."

I stalked off, not looking at anyone, not hiding the angry tears that were streaming down my face, not caring about the worried looks I got from Esme and Charley, or the fact that Carlisle obviously wanted to talk to me. Once in my room I locked my door, then locked myself in the bathroom and drew a bath with way too many bubbles. I grabbed my iPod and a book before settling down for however long it took me to calm myself. After everything that Edward and Alice had done, all the manipulation that I endured at their hands, I just can't believe they would do that to me.

* * *

 **E/N: Leave me some love...**


	6. And they say stupid never learns

Chapter 6

 **A/N: The original authors note for this chapter was about my 4 yr old helping me by cleaning my laptop. With milk. She's 10 now…10! And thankfully no longer attempting to clean anything with dairy products.**

 _B~E~L~L~A_

I was pissed. So very, very pissed. I was still sitting in the bath, the water almost tepid and the bubbles had all but disappeared. The scent of lavender still lingered, but it was about as calming as a cattle prod. I had been spinning around anger, disbelief, betrayal, and incredulity. I spent most of my time sitting here thinking, I just couldn't believe they would fucking do this to me. After everything that had been done, all the things that they had saved me from. Yet they still thought this would be a good idea.

Yeah, I understood the reasons, I even agreed with them a little. But it was still a downright shitty thing to do and even though I didn't hate them for doing it, I hated that this was what it had come down to. Was I really so slow that they had to resort to that? I really didn't want to think about it anymore.

My book was forgotten on the tiled floor by the tub, after reading the same paragraph over and over again I had given up and thrown it down. My iPod had been turned up loud enough to drown out the knocks on my door and the requests for entry. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I wanted to sulk and wallow and simmer away, thank you very much.

But the water was becoming uncomfortable and I was starting to shiver, my fingers and toes were pruned to the extreme. It was definitely time to vacate the protection of my tub. Damn human limitations. I gingerly removed one ear bud to check for noises, I wasn't ready to speak with anyone just yet. There was nothing. Good. I stood up, the cold even more noticeable now that I was out of the water, and stepped out onto the soft bath mat. My robe was in the bedroom so I grabbed a huge towel off the heated rail and wrapped it around me, enjoying the warmth and soft cosiness that came with it. A smaller towel made its home, wrapped around my head; I grabbed my iPod and plodded into my room.

I was messing with my playlists, no reason to it other than a vain attempt to distract myself from everything running through my head. After placing it on my dresser I bent forward and removed the towel covering my hair, allowing my hair to spill forward. I dried my hair as thoroughly as you can with nothing but a towel and then stood up quickly, my hair flying back over my head and slapping onto my back. I had loved doing that since I was a child.

Then I screamed. Loudly.

I screamed because there was a vampire lounging on my bed. Jasper was sitting with his back against the headboard, one leg bent and the other straight. He was looking right at me, fighting not to show his amusement. Me? I was clutching my towel that had come loose during my hair toss, white knuckling it to my chest; I was left fighting for composure. It took three attempts for me to speak.

"You know, I could've sworn that I'd locked my door," I said dryly looking towards the door in question and gasped. There was a large hole where the lock used to be.

I looked back to Jasper, who shrugged, "I got impatient."

"You should count yourself lucky; if I hadn't got a hold of him he would've barged into the bathroom as well." I jumped when I heard Peter's voice, and turned back to the door just in time to see his grinning face through the hole, just before Jasper covered it with my dresser.

"Don't help, fucker," Jasper growled out. I stifled a giggle.

 _Bad Bella, no giggles...glower, baby, glower!_

Jasper turned to me, locking his gaze with mine. He obviously wanted to talk, I wanted answers or at the very least someone to use as a verbal punching bag. I also wanted to get dressed.

"Take a seat Jasper; I need to dress before anything else," I spoke quietly, the way only a woman can when she is pissed and wants the offending party to know it. To hear the disappointment.

He didn't say anything; he was there one second and the next he was back in position on my bed. I could definitely think of a few other positions I'd like him in.

 _Bad Bella!_ Oh fuck it, I'm a woman and he is a drop dead gorgeous vampire.

Shaking myself out of my dirty reverie I walked towards my newly positioned dresser and grabbed some jeans before taking a red shirt out of my closet. I could feel his eyes following my every move and I just couldn't help what I did next. Honest. Back in front of my dresser I pulled out a lacy red bra and panty set. I shimmed them on underneath my towel. And then dropped it.

My back was still to Jasper, I wasn't that brave, as I picked up the body cream that Charley had picked up for me. I may have taken longer than was strictly necessary, and maybe bending over at the waist and slowly running my hands from my ankle to my thigh, was over kill. Did I care? Not so much.

Once dressed, I turned back towards the bed and realized that maybe toying with Jasper wasn't such a good idea after all. Well, it was, if the effect I was going for was a black-eyed vampire, his desire evident and not just on his face, standing a couple of feet from me.

I swallowed twice before speaking, "You came to talk, so talk."

His smirk was pure sin and I clenched muscles I wasn't aware that I even had. He closed the distance with impossible speed, my ass bumped against the wood of the dresser.

"Don't you want to reap the benefits of your teasing, Isabella?" He spoke down to me, his face darkened by the shadow of his hair. All I could see was his darkened eyes.

Hell yeah, I wanted to climb him like a tree. I wanted him to grab my ass and wrap my legs around him. I wanted him to make me forget everything that had happened, forget everything until all I knew was his name. But I couldn't, and I could see the annoyance dancing in his eyes. He knew that we couldn't either; he was simply answering my challenge. _Naughty Bella._

"Talk first, benefits later," I breathed out, happy that my voice seemed calmer than I felt. Even if only slightly.

He drew back and took my hand, walking me to the bed. It was the only place to sit in the room. I climbed up and sat, my legs crossed in front of me, facing Jasper.

"I think you know why we did what we did." That's all he's got to say? _That's_ what he's going with?!

I suddenly felt like a child. A child who was being asked to understand why something happened that she didn't like. _Well fuck that._

"Yes, I do. Despite my mortal status, I do have a decent brain between my ears. It was an exercise, a lesson to give me better use of my shield. A kick start, a fucking bonfire lit directly under my ass to get me to stop fucking about and just use it the way you wanted me to. Well you got what you wanted, whoopee-fucking-doo."

"We are working under heavy time constraints, it was a necessary step, Bella, trust me when I say that we went through all other options," he spoke with conviction, as if I had no right to my anger. At least he had stopped with the talking to me like a child shit.

"Time constraints? Necessary step? So as long as you all got the result you wanted, consequences be damned?"

"There are more important things at risk than your feelings, Bella." Oh, he was angry. Well so was I and that shit just stung.

I stalked off the bed, just needing to move. I nodded, looking away, "No, I get it. I get it. As long as my _power_ is working on schedule then it doesn't matter that I had to watch you writhe and contort in pain, it doesn't matter that I thought you were going to die! Actually, that was the point wasn't it? To make me believe that. I'll try to be a better little soldier from now on!" I spat out bitterly and full of venom.

Jasper was on his feet as well, "Damn it Bella, I didn't mean it like that. You're more than your power, how can you say otherwise?"

"Because that's how it feels!" I screamed, "I don't feel loved or cherished or cared for, I feel used and unimportant. Nothing more than whatever my shitty power can give you. And you, I don't know what we are. I have all these feelings, feelings that I always told myself were for Edward. But they've always been there...so why didn't we find each other? If we are meant to be together, why didn't you know? Why didn't you find me? Why didn't you save me from Edward?"

I hadn't even realised I was harbouring these thoughts and feelings until they spilled out, along with the stupid tears running down my face. Suddenly, Jasper's hands were on my shoulders, his face almost panicked in its intensity, "NO! No, no Bella, no. You are a part of this family; you _are_ loved and cared for. _I_ love you. God, I love you Bella. I will forever be sorry that I didn't act on my feelings, that I believed Alice when she said that I would hurt you. That I would lose control and kill you."

"She said that?" Of course she said that, why the hell was I surprised?

"Bella, from the very first time that I saw you I knew that you were mine. I felt what I had never felt for Alice, what I thought I wasn't able to feel. But we had always been told that you would be Edward's mate and I assumed...forgive me, but I assumed that my feelings weren't my own. I hated myself for almost standing in the way of my brother's happiness," he laughed, not a happy sound, and led me to sit on the edge of the bed. His hands slid from my shoulders and clasped tightly around my hands. I couldn't take my eyes off him. "I used to think about you all the time; I had to stay away from the house and out of Edward's radar for fear of upsetting him. Sometimes I would crack and head out to see you, and Alice would appear and plead with me not to kill her friend, her sister. I kept away from you as they requested, petrified that I would hurt you. But the feelings never went away, they grew, almost painfully. I would sit on the edges just to see you, just to watch you." He paused for a moment and just looked at me, ghosting his fingertips down my cheek and across my lips. "I would fantasise about the feel of your lips, the heat of your touch." He smiled suddenly, "I would call Peter and talk about you, just to get it out of my system. It never worked; the fucker would always tell me that it made no sense for you to be with Edward if this was how I was feeling."

"Did you not sense my feelings for you?" I asked.

"The only time I was around you without Edward was when we were hiding you from James, you were so stressed and worried for us that it drowned out everything else. Other than that it was safe to assume that your love and lust and longing was all for Edward. It was during a call with Peter that I found out about the betrayal."

"Ah, Peter's power?" I remembered Peter's comment on the plane, that it had been his gift that had brought it all to light.

Jasper nodded, "I was talking to Peter, therefore mute to Edward and invisible to Alice. They had no idea I had chosen to return early from hunting, and I was able to get close enough to hear their conversation without them knowing. Edward was talking about me, worrying that Alice was losing control and that I would finally act on my feelings. I had thought he was being his usual overprotective dickhead self until Alice assured him that your birthday would cement his control over you and get me out of the way."

I frowned, "My birthday?" What the hell did that dreaded day have to do with anything?

"It turns out that Alice and Edward had it all planned out, down to the right kind of paper to ensure you a paper cut upon opening your presents. They talked about making sure I didn't hunt close to it, that Edward would allow his bloodlust to run free. It would trigger my own; Alice had seen me attacking you. Unsuccessfully of course, but the shame would have sent me to Denali."

"Oh Jasper, I wouldn't have let you leave. You're a vampire for god's sake; reacting to fresh blood is your nature. I would never have blamed you." _Silly boy._

"You don't understand. Their plan included the whole family leaving. They would convince us that you had asked us to leave, that I had scared you and you no longer wanted anything to do with this world. Alice would tell them that the time isn't right, that you would re-join the family in a few years. They would have made them leave without saying goodbye to you. I was standing there in shock, enraged, staring at the house and listening to my wife and brother plot how to get rid of me and leave you alone and broken. I was about to rush in there and kill them both when Edward said something that stopped me right in my tracks. He was coming up with the best and most efficient ways to break your spirit. To complete their plan they needed you so low that when they returned you would be so grateful to them that you were theirs to control. It was sick Bella; he spoke about how relieved he would be to be able to tell the truth for once. To see you crumble before his eyes."

Well...shit. We left ten days before my birthday. Ten days before they planned to break me of everything that I am. Ten days before they planned to break Jasper, before they planned to convince my family that I was scared of them. That I didn't want them anymore. I had no idea how close I had actually come to losing everything. To never knowing Jasper. I promised myself in that moment that I would build Alice's pyre myself, with her precious shoes and clothes. I would throw her on it piece by piece and then dance around the damn thing while she withered and burned. _Envision that future bitch!_ Hopefully she'll catch a glimpse.

"Wow, even after everything else that I already knew...that's...it's...fuck, I don't know what to say." I was a little shell shocked. Suddenly the stunt that I had been pissed about didn't matter anymore.

"You have to understand what you mean to me, how I feel about you. What you mean to everyone here. Not just your power, but _you,_ Bella. You've enchanted us all and I would do anything to be able to spare you this kind of pain. But they're out there, somewhere, plotting. We've forced their hand and the only way for them to gain the advantage is to get you back. That is their sole purpose. I can't lose you, Bella, and neither can anyone else. So Carlisle, my brother, and I made a difficult decision."

"I get it now, really. I just took it the wrong way before, but I was just so mad, Jasper. You scared me so much. But I have a better understanding now. I, well, I want you to know that it was the same for me. The feelings, the confusion, the guilt. I would watch you, wonder about you, I'd lay in bed thinking about you. My dreams were full of you...being with me." I smiled shyly, colouring at my own words, "I have wanted you since the first time I saw you, I just convinced myself that all of it was for Edward, that it was him that I loved. I'm apparently pretty good at deluding myself. I love you too, and not to sound too corny, I probably always have. I'd..." I let out a huge breath, suddenly nervous, "I can't believe I'm even contemplating telling you this."

Jasper just smiled at me and I had a sudden burst of confidence. _Nosy vampire_.

"The thought of you used to make me swell inside my chest and..." and contract in other places, but I'm not about to tell anyone that _._ Jasper looked at me intently before hitting me with another burst of confidence, this time mixed with reassurance. "I used to lie in bed thinking of you, I used to dream of you and all of the things that I wanted you to do with me, that I wanted us to do together. I used to revel in the time that Edward wasn't there because for a few short minutes I could imagine you there with me, that it was your touch and not my own that was bringing me pleasure. Afterwards there would always be guilt, but for that short time I would imagine you there with me."

I crawled, as gracefully as my clambering frame would allow on the soft bed. Jasper followed me and I pressed a hand to his chest for him to lie down. Not breaking eye contact I slid a leg over his waist, so that I ended up straddling him. My palms were flat on his chest, my hips taut with tension and anticipation. I really had no idea how he was going to react to this, Edward had always protested, citing his vampire nature as the reason for his rejections. But Jasper had done much more than Edward, so my confidence stuck with me. All mine this time, nothing of Jasper's manipulations remained. Making my hands into claws, I ran my nails down his chest, watching and hearing the hitch in his breath and seeing his shirt bunch under my fingers.

"I may have been attracted to Edward, but he never made me feel this overwhelming _need_ to be closer to him. Not like you. When I'm around you, god Jasper I can barely control myself. The things I want to do to you." I gently, experimentally, rolled my hips against his. Feeling how happy he was to have me there. "I want you to touch me; I want to feel you around me, against me...inside me." He was barely breathing, his chest vibrating with a constant low growl, almost a purr. His hands on my hips, clutching me to him, massaging, gripping, and moving me. I bent, moving closer to him, stretching to run my nose, and then my mouth, and then my tongue along his neck. And fuck did he taste amazing. My hips were moving steadily against his, I was slick and hot and thrumming in time with my quickened heartbeat. This man, this man beneath me, my man. I wanted him in every way possible. "I want to be taken, to be consumed." I bit where his pulse would have been in his human life; he jolted under me, a softly moaned 'fuck' forced from between his lips.

"Jasper, I want you to claim me."

He stilled beneath me, ceased all movement. It was frustrating for a couple of reasons, mostly because I was rather enjoying the movements he'd had me making. Then the sharp pang of fear began to creep up and my insecurity was going to get the better of me. But then he moved, oh god did he move. He was suddenly above me, my legs over his hips and my damp hair spread out around my head. He still hadn't actually said anything, but I figured I was safe to take our new position as a positive sign. He leaned down, the whites of his eyes shining in contrast to the blackened irises. I was finding it hard to remember how to breathe and the bastard was teasing me. I lifted my head to meet him and with a sly grin he pulled back, just out of my reach. His right hand grazed up and under my shirt, I gasped at the icy cold fingers that were now gently curving round and round over the skin of my waist.

He sat back suddenly, on his knees, hands running up and down my jean clad thighs. I don't think I had ever hated denim until that moment. Or realised quite how undignified this position is when someone isn't laying between your thighs.

"Patience," he spoke and it sent shivers down my...well, just about everywhere. It was deep and rough, but smooth at the same time. Sex voice, there is nothing else to call it. Well, there is, but I didn't think this moment called for cruder names. Maybe later.

He seemed to be considering something, I was personally hoping that he was considering the best way to get me out of my jeans. Apparently I was right, because in the next second he ripped them off me. Just ripped them off. My wide eyes followed the scraps of denim as they fell to the floor. I slowly turned my head, back to Jasper. The question plain on my face.

He shrugged and smiled; all dark and sin and full of promise, "They were in my way."

 _Impatient much?_ Not that I was complaining, god no, no complaints here.

He ran his fingertips along the length of my legs, hardly touching me, but boy did it feel good. His magic fingers carried on past my underwear and under my shirt, his touch was just on the right side of ticklish. It elicited goose bumps on my flesh, soft moans from my mouth, and then another squeal when he destroyed my shirt. Literally, he was looking at it like it was the dragon and he was George and now that they're free, my boobs were apparently his reward.

His touch ghosted around my breasts, over my collarbone, down my arms, and up again. I was starting to wonder if he could bring me to climax without actually touching me in the traditional places. He closed his eyes and took in a long, deep breath. His grip tightening on my sides, my body arched off the bed, my nerve endings so acutely attuned to his touch.

"Fuck. Bella, I can _smell_ you."

Nice. Thanks for that, way to make a girl feel comfortable. I kind of forgave him when he moved so that he had his face buried in my panty covered crotch. Funny that. I could feel him breathing me in, his moans and cold breath on my overheated sex. He was mumbling, but seen as he was mumbling directly into my vagina it was pretty hard to make out. Plus, there was that whole thing about me not giving two shits about he was saying. As long as he kept saying it...right...there!

His hands were back at work, full palms this time, no teasing...good boy, Jasper. He ran his hands over my thighs and gripped my underwear. Now, going off what had happened to my clothes earlier, I was expecting him to rip the scrap of lace asunder. But no, he gently dragged them over my hips and down my legs. He glanced up to me and smirked. "What? I like them"

 _Good to know._

Next went my bra, taken off with the same care he gave my panties, and there I was completely nude, being stared at by Jasper. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I should do. Do I pose? Pout my lips for him and thrust my out my breasts? Did I stay where I was and leave him to his perusal? Or should I even the playing field somewhat and get him naked too.

Last option it is then.

But he stopped me when I went to go for his shirt buttons, "Not yet Bella, we can worry about my clothes after you've let the valley know who you belong to."

 _Belong to?_ I wasn't sure I would normally like that, but there and then, with him looking at me like I was the most beautiful and sexy woman in the world...then yeah, I belonged to him. Not really being an expert in these matters, I was a little confused when he lay down next to me. I rather preferred him on top of me. Almost lazily he kissed me, holding me down by my shoulder when I tried to roll onto my side. Him being the experienced one, I just followed his lead. His lips moved to my neck, just as his fingers found my nipple. He twisted and pulled and tweaked and suddenly my nipple was hard wired to my clit. And, oh my, did it feel good.

His mouth replaced his fingers and I moaned, long and low and gripped his hair. His hand was rubbing circles on my stomach, and then it was ghosting over the inside of my thighs. He palmed my sex, pressing down on my clit with the heel of his palm and feeling out my folds and entrance and whatever the hell else was down there.

"You're so slick, Darlin', so wet," he growled into my breast. The combination of the vibrations on my nipple and his hand fooling about between my legs made me go cross-eyed.

I wanted to say 'yeah, you think? You've been teasing me for, what feels like, a week and you're surprised that I'm dripping for you?', but what actually came out was a rather breathy, "Yes."

As he changed breasts, he changed the positioning of his hands, sliding one finger into me and his thumb taking up residence over my nub. He rubbed it in small circles, around and around, hardly actually touching the nerves themselves as his finger explored inside me.

"I should have been the first to feel you here," he slipped another finger into me, stretching me, my breathing sped up and I was pretty sure that all those little whimpering sounds I could hear were coming from me. "I am the only one that can make you feel like this, so wet, so tight, so on fire. I can feel your muscles contracting around my fingers, Bella. I can feel your clit swell with each pass of my thumb. I can hear your heart beating, hard, in your chest as you labour to breathe, to handle what I make you feel."

"Jasper," I whispered.

"You're so close, Baby, just feel."

The pleasure was all beginning to concentrate, inside me with his fingers, outside with his thumb, deep in my abdomen, and it was growing, tightening, coiling. A constant stream of 'oh god, oh god, oh god' was all I could muster, my eyes closed and hands desperately trying to find purchase on my headboard or sheets or anything to keep me grounded. Then his mouth was on me, replacing his thumb, and my eyes flew open to meet his as he watched me. His fingers thrust, faster and faster and his tongue. Oh holy mother of god...his tongue! It was moving so fast, so, so, fast and so very cold and tingly and hard and...

"Jasper! Oh, God, JASPER!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I exploded, as he carried on his ministrations and then changed his MO once again and pressed against something inside me.

I think I screamed again, to be honest I didn't care what or how loud or anything at that moment, because all I could see were stars. All I could feel were waves of euphoria and bliss billowing through me.

Jasper settled down next to me as I lay with my limbs still spread and my breathing only just coming back into the range of normalcy. My eyes were wide, staring at the ceiling and I was wondering if I would ever be able to close them again.

"You ok?" he asked quietly.

I laughed, "Ok? You could say that, I don't think I've ever felt this _ok_ before in my life. What was that thing that you did, at the end I mean, you pressed on something inside of me?"

His smile was so shit eating that I wanted to hit him. "That, sweetheart, I believe is referred to as the G-spot."

I nodded in understanding, "Ah yes, well gee...it sure was swell!" We laughed and my brain began to come back on-line, "Jasper?" He was nuzzling my neck again, "Yeah, Darlin'?"

"Why are you still dressed?" It was a good question!

He moved off the bad and stood at the side of it, he watched me as he started to unbutton his shirt. And then stopped. He stopped and turned towards the door, frowning. I groaned, _this can't be good._

"What is it?" I asked as I sat up, curling my legs beneath me. I didn't even think of hiding my nakedness, I pretty much figured we were beyond that point.

"Something's happened. Peter's had one of his _epiphanies_. He said that he expects thanks for waiting until you were finished."

Mortification, oh dear Lord, take me now! I buried my head in my hands, who in their right mind gets so horny that they forget they live in a house full of super hearing, super smelling vampires? Me, apparently. Oh, fuck, I didn't care. Ok, well, I did, but just chose to ignore it and move on. And avoid Emmett.

"Oh god, how loud was I?" I asked into my hands.

"Well, let us just say that you did as I asked, and more." He was so smug. Not that he shouldn't be, that was one hell of a feeling.

"Finished that roller coaster of emotions there?" Jasper laughed, "I have to go, but I believe that this will continue at a later date. Get yourself dressed and meet me down stairs, I'll be able to tell you more then, ok?"

I nodded and he disappeared, pausing only to move the dresser away from the door.

All I could hear as I walked down the stairs was the signature buzz of supernatural conversation. The living room was a bustle of activity, Peter and Jasper were talking to Carlisle, and Emmett was on a computer but still made the time to grin at me like a fool. Charley, Kate, and Eleazar were all on the phone. The two guards were standing by the Jasper/Peter/Carlisle huddle. I couldn't see Esme or Rose anywhere. Figuring that I wouldn't be much help, I followed my nose into the kitchen. Esme was working steadily at the stove, but it was the dinner table that caught my attention.

The huge dining table was laden with food. Casseroles, pasta dishes, stews, salads, meats, vegetables, and various different sweets covered the surface.

"Hello Bella, I thought you might be hungry. Just pick up a plate of whatever you want." Esme smiled over at me before going back to the stove.

"Err...Esme? Mom? I am hungry, and don't think I'm ungrateful, but why is there enough here to feed an army?" To be honest, I was wondering if she had lost it.

"Oh Bella, dear. This isn't all for you, we are expecting visitors soon and I wanted to be ready for when they arrived."

"Visitors? Visitors that eat food? You mean humans?" I asked, my curiosity spiking.

"You'll be able to see for yourself soon enough, Darlin'." I jumped at Jasper's voice, and then melted back into him as his arms wrapped around me. "Two more of the Denali clan, Carmen and Tanya, will also be bunking with us."

 _Just Carmen and Tanya?_

"What about Irina?"

"She has chosen her side," Kate said her voice venomous and angry, as she stalked into the kitchen.

I turned to Jasper, "What's going on?"

"You remember that Laurent went to stay with the Denali's, curious about our diet?"

"Yeah, Edward said that he and Irina were mates. He seemed quite happy about it, so I'm assuming it wasn't a good thing."

"That frog bastard never defected from James' coven, hell at this point it's safe to say that there was no James' coven at all," Kate spoke up again.

"Someone needs to explain this to me?" I asked.

"Laurent was a plant, a spy. He and Irina have mated, and he has used that to his advantage," Kate began, "He must have been whispering in her ear for months." I looked back to Jasper expectantly.

"Irina has joined our enemies; she has chosen her mate over her family and the Volturi. Peter's spidey sense picked up on a problem and had Eleazar warn Carmen and Tanya to flee, and to make sure that Irina doesn't know that they left or where they were going. Victoria, Edward, and five newborns turned up as they left. Carmen and Tanya watched them from about six miles out as they conversed with Irina and Laurent."

"They were going to kill them?"

"We don't know."

"No, no, Irina may have changed sides but she would never offer her sisters up for slaughter." Eleazar had joined us now, Carlisle close behind.

I wandered off to the table, knowing that I think better on a full stomach, that and I hadn't eaten since breakfast. I got a little bit of everything and settled on a stool at the breakfast bar to observe. I was grateful that they were speaking at a human level. Jasper came to stand behind me, giving me a soft kiss to the top of my head before handing me a glass of juice. Every time that I think they couldn't do any worse, they reach a whole new level of evil. All that time I had spent alone with them, feeling safe. How is it that I never sensed something was off? But then, no one had. This had taken everyone by surprise, of course looking back over the time and facts; it was pretty obvious that something was up with them. But then, hindsight is always 20/20.

"Two aged vamps and five newborns, and that's not including Irina. What else would you say their plan was?" Peter asked as he walked in with Charley and stood next to Jasper and I.

"El, there are only two possibilities," Kate spoke, standing and walking over to face Eleazar, "Either they were there to coerce them into turning from us or they were there to kill them. Probably both, one being the punishment after they declined the other."

"Kate-"

"No, do not try to sway me from this. Think about it, you know how Irina feels about the Volturi, it probably wasn't that hard to sway her." Kate insisted, though I was lost on the backstory they were referring to. Her and Eleazar became locked into a staring contest.

I turned to Jasper in the hopes of an explanation, but he just shook his head, kissed my ear and whispered that he would tell me later.

"Irina understands what happened to your mother," Eleazar argued.

"No, she does not. She hates them for what they did. Out of the three of us, she was the only one unable to understand why no mercy was shown. A few right words, the right nudging, Alice would have fed Laurent what to say...what to do. Irina was the weak link in our armour. She would have given Carmen and Tanya a choice, I have no doubt of that. But if they made the wrong one then she would have seen them as the enemy and a necessary loss. Don't let your innate trust in people cloud your judgement." Kate pleaded with her coven mate.

Eleazar didn't say anything more on the matter. He and Kate embraced; I thought about the damage that Edward and Alice have done to this coven, this family. It's not just trust that has been broken; it is trust that has been built over hundreds of years in this case at least. Then it occurred to me that they had only mentioned Irina as actually being there.

"Laurent wasn't there?" I blurted out, everyone turned to look at me, as I blushed the colour of my tomato sauce covered pasta.

"No, he wasn't. Carmen said that he was out hunting, why do you ask?" Eleazar answered.

"It doesn't make sense that he would miss it just to go hunting, especially if I'm guessing that he hasn't been keeping to the diet. I was just thinking that it must have been something important to keep him away when they planned on confronting Carmen and Tanya." It made sense to me anyway, as I understood it a mated pair rarely separated, especially if there was likely to be fighting involved.

"You are wondering if Laurent had been sent out on some sort of mission." It wasn't a question so much as a statement that Kate made; she didn't add to it and just looked as if she were lost in thought.

"Did Laurent have a gift of some sort?" I asked Eleazar directly, knowing that his gift was to sense power and the nature of it in others.

Eleazar suddenly looked stricken, "Yes, he was a tracker. Not quite of the same calibre as James in terms of senses, but he is able to make a leap between locations."

"Leap between locations? Oh, you mean if someone got into a car he would be able to know where they next got out of it instead of losing the scent?" Well that can't be good, how the hell do you hide from someone who can do that? "But doesn't that mean that he would be able to find us?"

"No, his gift is limited to distance. If we had stayed in the country, then he may have been able to find us as we not travelled long enough by car. It was one of the reasons for choosing an overseas location. With a human in the car we would have had to stop for your relief, he would have tracked us easily. The only useful information that he could pass on to the others is that we are far away from where we started. Or in this case, had he been on our trail then he would have known we got on a plane, but not its destination."

Carlisle spoke up next, "Our friends in Forks sent word that they killed a lone vampire. Esme, call them and find out their ETA and any details on the vamp they destroyed." Esme nodded and left the room. "We need to find them, I don't want to be surprised again. Peter, Jasper, I want a list of who or where is likely to be their next targets. All persons under threat need to be moved. I am going to have Demetri fly to Alaska, Rose I want you to meet him there, you and Demetri can combine your gifts. Hopefully you will be able to find where they went. Of course, you can take Emmett with you for backup. I will send more with Demetri."

"Denali won't be clear for another day and a half," Peter broke in.

"Then you leave in two days. Jasper, I think now is the time to move Renee and Phil."

My fork clattered against my plate, I ignored the sauce that was now plastered across my top.

"My mom? You think they would go after Renee? Of course they would, what wouldn't they do? Crap."

"Sweetheart, calm down for me, ok? We'll get them to safety, Garrett and Ben will get them and bring them here. I need you to call your mom and tell her that she is to do everything that the nice red eyed gentlemen are telling them to do."

Nice red eyed gentlemen? Oh, that is so not going to go down well. "What do I tell her? She has no idea about vampires and werewolves and whatever the fuck else is out there. She'll flip, and coming here? Oh crap, the questions! Is she allowed to know? Will you have to change them?"

"Bella, take a deep breath," I did as instructed, staring into Jasper gold eyes and wondering how it was fair that a man got to have lashes that long and thick, "Now call Renee, you don't have time for a full explanation but we will have to tell her."

I chose to ignore the fact that Jasper had neither confirmed nor denied my question on changing them and took the phone that he offered me, dialling my mother's number from memory. I had no idea what time it was in Florida, but I knew that Renee still hadn't gotten herself a job so she should be in. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that Jasper was on his cell, talking rapidly. Finally my mom answered.

"Hello?"

"Mom! Mom you hav-"

"Bella? I was just about to call you, why are their two strange men at my door asking me to follow them? They say that your boyfriend sent them. Well actually they said mate and then boyfriend when I asked them to explain, I mea-"

"Mom!" I interrupted before she could go too far off on a tangent, "Just listen to me; you have to do what they say. You and Phil need to leave with them right now, ok mom? I will explain everything; there just isn't time for that now. Go with them, do whatever they say and I will see you soon."

"I don't like this, Bella."

"I know, I know you don't. But mom, you don't have to like it, you just have to do it." I paused for a second, wondering if I should say this next part. "This is a life and death situation, mom, specifically yours and Phil's right at this moment. Go with Garrett and Ben, let them keep you safe."

She was quiet, I knew Renee and I knew that she was going over all the options. For as flighty and open minded as she might be, she hates being forced into something, especially a something that she knows nothing about.

"Ok, ok. But you owe an explanation!"

"I will mom, I promise. Now go, don't worry about a bag. Just go."

My relief turned to horror when I heard a crash in the background and then my mother screaming, there were snarls and growls and someone shouting for Renee to keep down and not to move. Renee screamed again and I had never felt so damn impotent in my life. I closed my eyes, as if cutting off my sight would help me hear better. As if not seeing could somehow mean that I would hear my mother's voice telling me that she was ok, that everything was ok. Noises that made no sense came through the speaker, what sounded like lightning and thunder was so loud that I pulled the phone from my ear. There was a great rushing sound; I looked to Jasper for an explanation.

"Ben can control the elements." He informed me quietly, his eyes full of worry.

The storm continued, I thought I could hear people talking, but the wind was too loud. I couldn't hear Renee anymore, no screaming, no nothing.

Jasper must have sensed my frustration, "Give them time, Bella. They'll get them out of there."

I stared at him; seeing whether he was placating me or if he truly believed that his men would save them. A car door slammed and all sounds of the storm were muffled, I heard tyres squealing and nothing else. Then the phone went dead and there was nothing. Nothing at all.

"Mom? Mom, can you hear me?" I didn't know why I expected that an answer, why I allowed myself to feel that irrational hope that somehow the connection would come back and Renee would be telling me that everything is fine. Panic; cold, dead, panic. _Not my mom, not my mom, not my mom, please not my mommy, please._

"Bella, sweetheart. Take this, just listen, ok?" Jasper handed me another phone, I stared at him blankly. He pressed it to my ear. "Just listen."

"Bella? Bella?"

"Mom?" I gasped out.

"Bella, honey, I'm ok. We're ok. These nice...young men got us out safely." Her voice was shaking, she carried on in a whisper, "And, I don't think that they are entirely human, I'm not really sure what happened. One minute I was talking to you and Phil and I were following Garrett and Ben out, when your ex-boyfriend burst in with these other...people and then it was all growling and blurs and there was this freak storm!"

"God, mom, I thought you were dead."

"No, baby girl, no. I dropped my phone in all the chaos. They tell me that I'll see you soon, but not when. They were so fast, Bella. So fast and strong. I've never seen anything like it."

I laughed, I couldn't help it. _She ain't seen nothing yet._ "Mom, just do as they say, ok? No matter what it is, just go with it. Make sure that Phil knows to do that too. I have to go, but call me soon to let me know you're ok?"

"Trust me, I won't be arguing with them. Don't worry, we'll see you soon. And Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll talk when I see you and you will be telling me everything." She had taken on her rarely used 'mom' voice, and it had the desired effect.

"Yeah, mom, I know. I'll talk to you soon, I love you."

"Love you too, baby girl."

I ended the call and handed the phone back to Jasper, I felt kind of weird. Relief was there and the panic was gone, but the horrible thought of what might have been just wouldn't leave me alone. Normally, dealing with bad shit was easy for me. Compartmentalising comes easy to me normally. But then I can't say that I have ever listened to my mother and step-dad almost murdered by a bunch of rampaging vampires. Nope, never had to deal with that before.

 _She's fine, you heard her, and she's fine. They're both fine._

But they're not, not really. No one is safe, not until our enemies are brought down. No one is safe around me, no one. I felt hands on my face, forcing me to look up into golden eyes. The hands should have felt colder to me, but they didn't, I shivered and felt wetness trickle down my cheeks. I stared into Jasper's eyes and felt nothing.

"Don't do this, Bella. Don't shut yourself off. Renee is fine, Phil is fine. They are with two of our best. Garrett has centuries of experience and Ben has a strong gift, one that can't be defended against. They have them and they will keep them safe. Don't think of what could have happened, concentrate on what did happen. Remember the sound of Renee's voice when she spoke to you, don't let them get to you Bella. Don't let them do this to you."

With each word he spoke I felt warmer, calmer...I just felt. The numbness washed away, though I had no idea why he hadn't just flooded me with emotion in the first place. Why he had to talk me down. To be honest, I didn't give a shit about that, I felt like me again. That was the important thing. I smiled and he smiled with me, his relief was palpable. _Hmm, I guess I scared him._

"Will you be ok if I talk to Peter for a minute? I won't be long, promise."

I rolled my eyes, one almost breakdown and he's worrying about leaving my side. "Jasper, I'm fine. I had a minor blip, nothing to worry about. Besides, I need to ready myself for Renee's arrival, it's gonna be a fun reunion," I grumbled. I loved my mother with everything that I was, but I wasn't looking forward to the interrogation that was coming. Both about her first vampire experience and my love life.

Jasper gave me a lingering kiss, making my lips tingle, and then exited through the backdoor, Peter close behind. Everyone seemed to have something to do, so I decided to help Esme with the cooking. Anything to feel useful. Then Emmett was standing in front of me, a huge grin on his face. I didn't like this grin, this grin meant that he was up to something. Something that was likely to get us in trouble.

I had time to hear Peter scream something from out back before I was swept off my feet and the world was lost in a blur of wind and my hair. I was pretty much thrown into a car seat, my belt buckled in record time, the car started before I even registered who was driving.

"Emmett! You are in such big trouble! What the hell are you thinking? Have you lost your marbles? Jasper is gonna kill you, as in remove your head from your shoulders."

"Pfft, like that would kill me," he scoffed.

"Wouldn't exactly be comfy though would it?" I pointed out.

"Of course not, having a limb removed isn't an experience that I would like to go through again," he said, as if I were stupid to even ask that.

"Then why are you risking your neck to...what the hell are we doing anyway? I'm pretty sick of being manhandled, or should I say vampire handled?" But then I had a thought that I really didn't want to linger on, "Oh fuck Emmett, you've not gone all 'Irina' on me and joined Edward and Alice have you?"

It felt like the right thing to ask after everything that had happened today, but it was still a ludicrous thought. Wasn't it? Emmett hadn't answered me yet, his face had turned grim and when he turned to look at me I saw him as a vampire for the first time. All signs of my jovial ass of a big brother had gone. He was scaring the hell out of me.

"Em?"

 **A/N: Leave me some love…**


	7. Just the one

**A/N: Don't own Twilight…may have been forgetting the disclaimer. The beta'ing for this whole fic is courtesy of the amazing Mynxi, my Treacle. That should make more sense later on…lol. I'm supposed to be doing housework in between helping to plan the funeral. The planning I'm doing…the housework? Not so much. Nothing like reformatting a chapter to help you lay on the lazy side of things. Review replies will be coming, probably when I supposed to be cleaning the bathroom. Tell me to get my arse in gear will you? I need the pushing…**

" _Then why are you risking your neck to...what the hell are we doing anyway? I'm pretty sick of being manhandled, or should I say vampire handled?" But then I had a thought that I really didn't want to linger on, "Oh fuck Emmett, you've not gone all 'Irina' on me and joined Edward and Alice have you?"_

 _It felt like the right thing to ask after everything that had happened today, but it was still a ludicrous thought. Wasn't it? Emmett hadn't answered me yet, his face had turned grim and when he turned to look at me I saw him as a vampire for the first time. All signs of my jovial ass of a big brother had gone. He was scaring the hell out of me._

" _Em?"_

 _B~E~L~L~A_

He was still just staring at me, no emotion in his face, all illusion of humanity gone and a predator left in its place. I knew my bottom lip was beginning to quiver; Emmett was always a jovial figure, the joker. Intelligent, an absolute whiz with computers, and he always had a smile for me. Not this time. No, right now he was still driving at breakneck speed down a one lane road and just staring at me. Still not answering my question.

"Emmett?" I repeated, my voice shaking.

His face broke and he grinned like a lunatic, throwing his head back just as he took a blind corner, and laughed so loud that it hurt my ears and vibrated the windows. He still hadn't said anything, just slapping the steering wheel, _still laughing_.

"Oh Bells! You crack me up; you should have seen your face! You seriously thought I was taking you to Ginger and the munchkin?" he asked, finally turning back to the road.

He was messing with me. Fucking, messing with me.

"You unimaginable _bastard_ , I cannot believe that you just did that!" I was seething; white hot, scalding steam coming out of my ears, rage.

"Classic, that was a classic." His voice had gone all high pitched and strained with laughter. Fucker. He glanced at me and noticed that I was still not finding the funny in this situation. "It was a joke Bella, I stopped when I saw you were about to cry."

"Oh, well that's alright then, pardon me for getting scared when you did your damndest to make me believe that you'd gone to the dark side! And don't believe that shit about cookies, either."

That got him laughing again, "Dark side? Is Vlad or Stephen going to turn up and announce himself as my father? Or will Yoda appear and give me some garbled, but sage, advice?"

"I hate you so much right now, Emmett. You have no idea."

"Bella, develop a sense of humour! Besides, there's no Kate around here for you to zap me with. So you're shit out of revenge ideas."

"Oh Emmett, sweet naive Emmett," I scoffed "I don't need to exact revenge right this second, actually I had been thinking about getting to know Jane better. Braid each other's hair, swap make up tips, talk about annoying as hell boys."

I had started off all sweet and sing song, then as Emmett's eyes grew wider, my voice grew smugger. In the end I was tempted to do a dance in the front seat. _Gottcha._

"Alright, alright, there's no need to resort to such measures. I am truly sorry for teasing you, or you know, scaring the shit out of you. I just couldn't resist it; you more or less threw the ammo at me."

Shaking my head, I turned from him and realised that we had parked. Emmett was out of the car and helping me out before I had time to ask where the hell we were. We were in a small car park, behind some buildings. I had no idea where he might have taken me.

"You might need this," he said as he passed me what turned out to be an ID.

"According to this, my name is Horatio Stoneman and I'm twenty-five?" I asked out of confusion and sniggered in amusement at his alias.

"Oh, that would be mine." He swapped me for another ID.

"Belinda Carlisle? Is there anything that isn't a joke with you?"

He looked genuinely hurt, "Hey, I picked that out myself. This way I still get to call you Bells."

I studied him for a second or two, "Well come on then _Horatio_ , where are we?"

"We, my dear Bells, are at The Royal Oak."

"The Royal Oak?"

"A pub."

"A pub?"

"Are you just going to repeat everything I say?"

 _Oh, the temptation is strong, Emmett, the temptation is strong_.

"Why have you brought me to a pub, Emmett?" I chose to ask instead.

"The other's may not have caught on, but you're in some dire need of some downtime. R and R, no training, no meditation, no worries. Some time for you to hakuna your tatas…and I pretty much want to see you drunk." He shrugged, and all of my previous ire melted away, the big oaf was being thoughtful. "So I figured this was the best place for it. You are about to get a taste of what Ramsbottom has to offer. According to the locals, and yes I have been out and about, this is a friendly establishment. Also," he began, holding the door open for me to step through, "I found out that 'Ramsbottom' doesn't actually mean a sheep's butt, apparently it means wild garlic valley."

Emmett's particular brand of immaturity had been showcased over his reaction to living in a village named Ramsbottom. Hilarious seemed such an understatement when describing his amusement. Until Carlisle had to put a stop to it, he had refused to refer to it as anything other than 'sheep's ass'.

Personally, the amusement had worn off after about five minutes, so finding out that it actually means wild garlic valley was much funnier to me. A bunch of vampires living surrounded by garlic? It's a damn good thing that the books and movies have the whole vampire lore wrong. But all of that is moot, because my moron of a vampire big brother has lost his damn mind.

"You should really take me home, Emmett." I sighed, feeling bad because he was truly trying to help me, bad because he was going to get his ass kicked by Jasper when we did get back, and bad because of, well, everything else.

Then he pulled out the big guns, making like the cat out of ' _Shrek_ ', all sad and soulful eyes and a pout that'd put a two year old to shame.

"Awe, Em, fine! _One_ drink, no alcohol and for god's sake put your puppy dog eyes and dimples away!"

He didn't.

"One alcoholic drink, that's all I ask." He pleaded, even pursed his pout a little more. Jesus, he just batted his eyelashes at me.

How is it that this man has terrorised me and taken the piss, still managed to get me to agree with him?

I sighed, defeated, "Fine, one drink. But that's it, ok?"

"Scouts Honour."

"Were you ever actually a scout, Emmett?"

"No idea," he said and led me further into the pub.

 _J~A~S~P~E~R_

Emmett is a dead man. Nothing but a walking, talking pile of ashes. He kidnapped Bella. I am gonna kill him. He took her without telling anyone. I am gonna kill him. He hasn't answered his phone since they left. I am gonna _kill_ him. What the fuck must have been going through his head to make his idea seem like a good one? I'll never know. Mostly because I am gonna kill him.

Peter and I had barely gotten far enough out of ear shot before he swore and started back for the house, shouting at the top of his lungs for Emmett not to be a dumbass. It only took us seconds to get back, but that was long enough for Emmett to grab Bella, shove her into his Range Rover Sport and drive off to god knows where. I would have been right on his fucking ass, but Peter grabbed me and assured me that they would be fine and for me to deal with this when they got back.

I'm not happy.

I distracted myself by taking away his favourite toys, sure he would be able to buy a new snooker table, air hockey table, and dart board, but fuck me if it didn't make me feel better to break them. The look on his face would definitely be worth it. He will also be on the receiving end of a punishment that I've come up with just for situations like this. Emmett has trouble remembering not to be as prick; let's just say that he won't be playing any games anytime soon. It never failed to amaze me when he pulls shit like this; he's incredibly intelligent, even for a vampire, but he has zero fucking common sense.

I have a ton of shit that needs to be taken care of and, unfortunately, I'm not talking about keeping Bella in bed for a week. Not that that isn't something that needs to be done, done well, and done soon. I have a plan involving a complete lack of clothes, and a whole slew of energy bars/drinks on hand to keep Bella's strength up. I wouldn't want her passing out on me after a couple of hours, now would I? Not that any of this is helping with my frustration levels.

However, finding as many different ways as possible to have Bella scream my name out in ecstasy wasn't what had prompted my need to talk to my brother. No, Bella's reaction when she thought Renee and Phil were dead showed me something that I had been waiting for. But, on top of Bella and Emmett's impromptu night out, our visitors had arrived and there was no time for Peter and I to have our private chat.

Carmen and Tanya were with Eleazar and Kate, over at the compound and no doubt filling each other in on Irina's defection, while our other guests where either still stuffing themselves or sleeping off the effects of full stomachs. Bella's gonna shit a brick when she gets back and sees who is here. And then there will be yet more explaining to do.

Pulling my phone out for what felt like the millionth time tonight, I tried Emmett's cell again. I nearly yelled my thanks to god when he actually answered.

"Hey, Bro, how's it going?" he answered as if all was right with the world. _Fucking ass._

"Don't 'Bro' me, you _prick_ , how the fuck do you think it's going? Bring her back. NOW!" It was all I could do not to crush the phone in my hand out of anger.

"Unbunch your panties, I'm trying to get her in the car as we speak."

" _Oh, Emmett, stop manhandling me, you brute!"_ I heard Bella say, slightly slurred, in the background and then she started giggling.

What the fuck?!

"She's drunk?" I ground out. I don't know why the hell I was so surprised. I rubbed my free hand over my face and through my hair; I can't believe he got her drunk.

There was a pause, "I wouldn't say drunk, per se..."

" _Emmett! I don't wanna go back yet, take me out...oh, take me dancing!"_ Dancing?

How much has she had, to make her actually want to dance?

"Pick her up and put her in the damn car."

"It's easier said than done; she keeps wiggling, and distracting me when I try. You heard her before." _Wiggling? What the fuck. I don't even want to know._

"Just. Do. It."

"C'mon Bella, be a good girl and get in the car." Emmett attempted to cajole Bella.

" _What if I don't want to be a good girl? What then, Emmy Wemmy?"_

More giggling. I looked skyward and wondered if it might be for the best if he didn't bring her back right now. No, she needs to sleep or go through detox or something.

"Jesus Emmett, she's 110lb soaking wet. Pick her up and put her in. It's not rocket science!"

"Listen, man, I'm telling you…she's wiley. I don't wanna hurt her accidentally or-"

" _Em? Emmett? Emmett?"_ It was a testament to my level of rage that I didn't find Bella's persistent repetition of his name funny.

"What is it, Bella?"he sounded thoroughly exasperated, served him fucking right.

" _You don't have to take that tone with me; I was only asking a question."_

"You didn't ask a question, Bella, you just repeated my name over and over again."

" _Because you were ignoring me, you stupid...stupid! And don't you talk to me like that, I thought we were enjoying ourselves and you have to go and ruin it."_

I heard tears in her voice and was stuck between wanting to tear Emmett a new one and feeling sorry for him at having to put up with an obviously over emotional and drunk Bella.

" _No, no, Bella, don't cry. Not again, come on, what was your question?"_

 _Again_? Why the hell has she been crying in the first place?

" _You know that saying 'my nipples are so hard they could cut glass'?"_

Oh, Jesus H Christ, where the hell is she going with this? Emmett must have nodded or something because she just carried on.

 _"Well, you vamps are all hard and stuff...do your nipples actually cut glass? Would you try for me, or Rose? She has a hell of a rack; it would be much easier for her to do it. Or maybe Charley, yeah...her boobs are awesome and she actually likes me."_

The room filled with laughter at her words, Rose look horrified and glanced at her breasts, but then just raised an eyebrow and shrugged; Charley was laughing her ass off and asking Peter if they should try it out for her. Esme just looked startled, but was radiating curiosity and Carlisle was looking anywhere but at me, the fact that he was radiating all kinds of amusement told me it wasn't out of embarrassment. I was just sick of this shit.

"Emmett, stop fucking talking about fucking nipples and put her in the fucking car and get her the fuck home, right the fuck now!"

"Hey, I didn't start the nipple conversation, it's not my fault she has a boob obsession. You should've seen her with the barmaid, that girl had a whopping pair. They were amazing really, they were completely natural but she had the tiniest waist and a great ass..."

Did I want to tell him that his wife could hear everything he was saying? Nope, let him dig his own grave.

"Jasper, you might want to tell him that she's about to run for a taxi," Peter called from behind me. Emmett heard Peter, shouted, and then the phone went dead.

"Damn it!" I shouted and threw the phone against the wall.

"She's fine, Jas, he caught her. They're on their way back now." Peter assured me, putting his hand on my shoulder, "Don't be too hard on him ok? She's put him through the ringer tonight; trust me that he regrets his decision."

I patted his hand, "Easy? I'm taking his thumbs and hell will freeze over before he gets his them back, let him try to play ' _Halo'_ then."

He laughed, "Oh, I know, I know. You'll be able to hear them soon."

I nodded and went outside, Bella was chatting away and I could feel Emmett's apprehension and irritation from here.

" _Emmett, you know I love you right? I really enjoyed getting out and stuff. Really."_

I smiled as Emmett's irritation wavered at Bella's words; it really is hard to be pissed at the oaf when Bella really does love him so much. Hard, but not impossible. The Range Rover pulled up and Emmett ran to Bella's door to help her out. Bella's emotions sky rocketed, annoyance topping the bill.

"Emmett, I can get out of a car all by myself you know. I wear big girl panties now and everything. They're lacy!" She giggled, again, and started towards the house, walking backwards and taking great pleasure in Emmett's obvious shock at her words. Naturally I was on edge to catch her. "I am going for a walk, alone. Ooh, I need my coat."

She still hadn't seen me, so when she spun around just before bumping into me she let out a loud shriek which turned into a giggle.

"Jasper! I missed you, Baby."

Then she threw her arms around my neck and used the leverage to jump up, wrap her legs around my waist and kiss me. I could taste the whisky and something with aniseed on her lips and tongue, the kiss was wet and messy, but it was all passion and I reciprocated in kind. Almost as sudden as she started, Bella stopped and hopped down.

"I've got to get my coat, see you in a bit." She gave me one last peck and walked past me into the house. I was left wondering if she had done that on purpose to distract me. Either way, she wouldn't be going for a walk, she will be going straight to bed.

I watched as she waltzed through the living room towards the kitchen and dining room, completely oblivious to those around her as she watched her feet. At least she was aware that she needed to be careful. Something must have caught her attention, because she stopped and look up and around. Shock emanated from her, tinged with embarrassment and to my horror, lust.

"Not that I'm complaining, but why are there..." she paused to count, "six, half naked, Native Americans sitting at the dining table?" I knew as soon as she saw him, her shock turned to disbelief, and again with the lust. "Jake? Jake, oh my god! What the hell are you doing here? And when the hell did you grow?"

She walked right over to him and I resisted the urge to pull her back from the young shape shifter, but I couldn't help the growl that escaped. Jake glanced at me and nodded; Bella spun around and blew me a kiss before jumping onto his lap. I watched as she was engulfed in a hug, Jake's emotions were much more than friendly, but I'm not stupid and I know he truly cares for her. Course it helped that Bella's emotions were purely platonic, even with the earlier spike in lust.

"Hey Bells, how're you holding up with all these bloodsuckers?" he joked. Kind of.

She hit him on his bicep still in his arms and winced, silly girl. "Why are you here? How? Why the hell are you so hot? Hmm...You smell all woodsy."

Ok, time to go. I ran forward and swept her into my arms, she laid her head against my chest and murmured that I needn't worry, that I smelled better. I told everyone goodnight and carried her upstairs, I had her on the bed and pyjamas in hand before she remembered the fucking walk she wanted to go for.

"Put those down, I need my coat not my pyjamas. I can't go for a walk in my pyjamas, Jasper. Honestly."

"Bella, you need to sleep, not go for walks. Get undressed."

She stopped and smirked, watching me from where she sat on her bed. "Oh, but I don't want to undress myself." She started to crawl towards me, all fucking sultry, ass in the air and biting her lip over to where I stood at the end of the bed. She stood up on her knees when she reached me; we were both watching her hands as she started to play with the buttons of my shirt. "I want _you_ to undress me," she looked at me then, through her eye lashes and still biting that god damn lip, "Don't you want to undress me, Jasper?"

Fuck, shit, and fuck again. This woman is gonna be the death of me. "Bella, you need to sleep."

She didn't look like she believed me, hell _I_ didn't believe me. She kept eye contact as she trailed one finger down my chest and grabbed my cock through my jeans.

 _Je-sus_.

"I don't want to sleep, I want to play. Don't you wanna play, Jasper?"

Then she squeezed me, fucking squeezed and then slowly rubbed up and down. Well, apparently an inebriated Bella is a forward and horny Bella. I grabbed her hand, fully intending to stop her, but all I ended up doing was holding her gently, still allowing her to move. It just felt so damn good, I was being undone by a human rubbing me through fucking denim. I couldn't wait to find out how it feels without the obstacles.

 _No, she's drunk and this is not the time. Morals, Jasper, morals._

"Hmm, you like that, Baby? Let's get you out of those pants, I want to see you." She began fumbling with the buttons, keeping up the movements with her other hand.

 _Yeah, baby, getting rid of the pants, good idea._

It was only when she had to stop rubbing me, which was a crime in itself, that my higher brain functions came back on-line. As much as I wanted to continue this, the fact that she was swaying slightly and fighting the giggles, kind of reminded me of her current alcohol level.

"Bella, stop." She ignored me; of course she fucking ignored me. "Bella, stop," I repeated, a little more firmly.

She froze, hands staying where they were and looked at me with wide eyes. I balked when I realised I could feel fear, worry, and inferiority coming from her. Fuck. How the hell was I supposed to make an obviously overemotional woman understand that I wasn't rebuking her advances because I didn't want her to...advance. But because she was wasted and may not even remember this in the morning.

 _Emmett, I am going to kill you. Slowly._

"Was I doing it wrong? I thought you were enjoying it, I've never done anything like this before, I don't know...but I thought you were enjoying it, you were purring,"

 _I was?_

"And your eyes, I thought...I thought..."

"Bella, Bella, Sweetheart, you did nothing wrong, ok? It just isn't the time for this. I want to, trust me that I want to, but not now, ok? It really isn't the time and you need to sleep the drink off."

Apparently that wasn't the right thing to say.

Rejection, recognition, acute embarrassment, _oh fuck_...anger, rage, oh she was pissed. She threw herself off the bed, literally, I had to catch her. I let her go when she got all high pitched and started flailing her hands around and screaming at me to let her go. I couldn't see her face but I could smell her blood as it heated her cheeks and her tears as they spilled down her face. And fuck it all, did I feel like a bastard.

"Bella-"

"NO! No, I don't want to hear your excuses! It's always excuses! I thought you were different, I thought you found me attractive. I thought after what you did...earlier...that you would want me to reciprocate. But no...No, can't let Bella do anything, can we? Silly little human, silly little girl. I'm going for that walk, and don't you dare even try to fucking stop me!"

I was left standing in the wake of her screaming, still staring open mouthed at the spot that she had been before she stalked out of the room. I heard her stomp downstairs. I listened to her ignore anyone that tried to talk to her, her embarrassment spiking to new levels when she realised that everyone would have heard everything. She left her coat and ran outside, stumbling once or twice as she made her way across the lawn.

"Jasper, do you want me to go after her?" Esme asked, the sentiment echoed by Charley from where they sat down stairs.

"No, let her cool off first. Maybe sober up a little," I spoke as I walked downstairs.

Emmett was in the living room, engrossed in a four player game on the Xbox. Well, to anyone else he would look engrossed, the fact that I knew he was more than aware of my presence made me happy. His fear and apprehension, well that just made me even happier. I wasn't in the mood for words right now, and to be frank _he_ had got Bella drunk, so in my mind it was his fault that Bella was currently crying her heart out in the garden. So, when I picked him up and threw him through the nearest window, out onto the drive, it was with a smile on my face.

I jumped out after him and was with him before he landed. I caught him by his neck and hauled him to his feet, due to his size I couldn't hold him off the ground, but I had no trouble throwing his over muscled ass into the trees that lined the driveway. This time I let him get to his feet, he was about to start yapping till he saw the barely controlled rage on my face. I went for him again, this time the fucker ran, leaping over the house and into the back garden. Towards Bella. That's Emmett, no fucking common sense.

"Someone make sure that Bella is out of the way."

I didn't wait for an answer; there was no way that they would leave her in danger. I followed Emmett and found him on his knees in front of the pile that had once filled the games room. Revenge is good.

He turned to me, "You killed the snooker table? The snooker table, Jas?" He looked around, "And the air hockey table? Oh...the dart board? What did the games room ever do to you?"

I raised my eyebrows, "This is the least of your problems, ask me when you're gonna get your thumbs back."

"Huh?" He looked down at his thumbs, finally giving me the 'thumbs up' with both hands, "What are you talking about, Jas?"

I sprinted forward and grabbed his thumbs, pulled and smirked as they snapped off. He was staring at me in pain, shock and anger and maybe a little bit of alarm, his hands still in the 'thumbs up' position, just minus the actual thumbs. His mouth was wide open; he was doing a good imitation of Bella's goldfish impression. I was still waiting for him to ask the question.

"When will I get my thumbs back, Jasper?" He finally asked, shoulders slumped.

"When you learn to act like the intelligent, 75 year old vampire that you are, and you learn that even though the sentiments may be right, that your actions need to be better thought out. This is the reason why you don't hold a rank in the guard above techie, Emmett; you don't think things through properly."

I turned and Peter was there, Ziploc baggie in hand and I passed him Emmett's thumbs for safe keeping. I took in the ambience and sighed. Emmett stayed quiet, good. So did Rose as she went to him, she also didn't glare at me or argue. Whether it was her good sense or fear that stopped her, I really didn't care. All I wanted right then was Bella. She was standing with Carlisle and Eleazar, Peter and Charley were on their way over to her. I felt sick when I took in her emotions. She was scared, terrified, sickened, and fucking guilt ridden. I should never have let her witness this.

I walked forward, slowly, not wanting to startle her by just appearing in front of her. She took a step back. She took a step away from me.

"Bro, just leave her be for a moment, she's wasted and she just saw you rip someone's thumbs off as if it were nothing. The fact that she thinks of that someone as a brother hasn't helped," Peter spoke at a level that Bella couldn't hear.

She was clutching onto Carlisle and whispering that she was sorry. It broke my heart; she was feeling guilty because she was scared of what I had just done. She still wouldn't look at me.

"Jasper," Carlisle's voice forced my gaze away from Bella, "I'm going to take Bella into the house and get her settled, take the time to calm down." He picked her up, cradling her against his chest. "This was just a shock for her. Let her sleep and talk through it with her in the morning. While some of her experiences with vampires has been traumatic, the majority has been on the better side of our nature. But this is something that she needs to understand."

With that he sped off towards the house.

I had never been so angry, so disappointed with myself. I picked up the two halves of the snooker table, only to have them snatched away by Charley and Kate, I hadn't even realised she'd gotten back. Then Peter was there commanding my attention.

He was shaking his head, "Bella is already scared and feeling guilty for her reaction, hearing or seeing you lose it will only make it worse. Get out of here, run, and hunt, tear up trees, whatever. Just get this shit out of your system _away_ from Bella."

I hesitated barely a second before running off, away from Bella.

 **E/N: So, there you have it. No Evil Em...not that I wasn't tempted, lol. So, get clicking that magic link and let me know what you think!** **2010.**

 **2016: The chapter before this one still has my favourite cliffy ever. But I simply couldn't have Emmett be anything other than good. He's just one of those characters that, for me personally, shouldn't ever be the bad guy. Though, in the past few years and my growing love of the darker side of things, it could be so freaking hot to take it down that road in a future fic. Hmm…gotta love possibilities, right?**

 **Leave me some love!**


	8. Who's that girl?

**A/N: Still don't own Twilight, still making no money from it...but I do love messing with this world! Thank you to everyone that has this story on their faves or on alert and especially to those that have reviewed...they make me grin every time!**

 **Massive thanks goes to my super beta, Mynxi!**

 **A/N 2016: The not so wonder of a stomach bug has been making it's rounds through my household, I was the last one to get it, or I'd have had this posted a lot quicker. I've also been working on a new story, a birthday fic for my wonderful other half, that's basically written with her in mind. I'll be posting the first chapter of that here shortly.**

 **This chapter is basically fluffy hijinks, a little laugh that I couldn't resist at the time. I'm hoping it's still as funny as I thought it was the first time around. LOL.**

* * *

 _B~E~L~L~A_

"Is he mad at me?" I hated my voice in that moment, so weak and unsure.

I don't think I had ever felt quite as ridiculous as I had this evening. One thing was for sure, I am never drinking again. No sir. Yes, it was fun and I had a laugh. But I hate how out of control it made me feel, the slightest thing seemed to cause me to tear up. First of all I get drunk, make a fool of myself with Jasper and then stalk out in a huff, only to cry myself silly. At first I was mad at Jasper, but then I'd started to think that maybe I had overreacted, pretty sure that's when I'd started to sober up a little.

It's Jasper, after all, and I know that he'd never hurt me.

I was so embarrassed I didn't think I would ever stop blushing. Everyone would've heard _everything._ Jake and the guys will never let me live this down, and I haven't even met the two new vampires yet. What a thing to come here to; the drunken human dingbat. Way to make a good first impression.

 _Hi, this is my girlfriend, Bella. Please excuse her drunken behaviour; she can't hold her liquor._

Then Emmett appeared after I'd stalked off outside, flying over the house, landing on his back in a cloud of soil and grass. Now that's a sight to stop you worrying about your own shit. He didn't even look my way when he got up; he moved to his left and knelt down in front of something that I couldn't quite make out. Jasper followed Emmett, landing directly behind Emmett. Carlisle and Eleazar came to stand by me and I was glad that whatever the hell was going on with Jasper and Emmett was keeping the spotlight off me.

Then Jasper ripped Emmett's thumbs off.

He just ripped them off as if they were nothing. His fucking thumbs. I'd moved closer, shadowed by Carlisle and Eleazar, and listened as Jasper spoke to him, he was so cold, so detached. I'd never heard anything like that from him before. Emmett was just so shocked, even Rose didn't say anything when she led him away. When Jasper turned to me, his eyes were still pitch, no whites left. I cowered away from him.

So my study in cowardice has left me here with Esme as she tried to stop my hair from becoming a bird's nest and Carlisle standing quietly in the corner.

"No, Sweetheart, Jasper is not mad at you," Esme murmured, her voice soft and comforting. I wasn't sure I deserved it.

I didn't really believe her. She had me lay down and proceeded to tuck me into bed, I half wondered if she would sit down and tell me a bedtime story. Not that I minded, it was nice to feel parented for once.

Carlisle came approached the bed, in full doctor mode, handing me a glass of water and two pills. I was grateful, I don't think I could have handled it if he'd gone into daddy mode, lecture and all.

"Take these and drink this. It will help with any unpleasant after effects, although I hardly think you consumed enough alcohol to give you anything more than a mild hangover. And do not worry about Jasper; he is not mad at you. Furious at Emmett, yes, and most likely mad at himself for letting you witness the punishment that he delivered for Emmett's recklessness, but not mad at you."

"He didn't have to rip Emmett's thumbs off though, did he?"

"You have seen us as a family, seen Emmett and Jasper as brothers. But what you have to understand is that we are also the Volturi, and Jasper is the General of our guard and Emmett is part of that guard. Punishments for vampires tend to be of this nature because there is so little else that hurts us. Jasper could have removed his legs for what he did, the danger that he may have put you in. Taking Emmett's thumbs was a lesser punishment, and one that will no doubt make the largest impression as he will be without his video games until Jasper sees fit to return them."

"Did it hurt him?"

"Initially, yes, but the pain of such a small injury is short lived. It will hurt for him to reattach them, but again the pain will be minor," Carlisle assured me.

Carlisle paused for a moment, my heart clenched as I took in the heartbroken look in his eyes, "We all heard the argument between you and Jasper. I wanted to apologise for the lengths that I chose to go to in order to further your training. I know that Jasper explained the reasons, and that you understood them. As one of the Elder's of the Volturi, it was the right decision, but as a father it was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to see through. We have known of your joining us for years, all that time you have been a daughter to Esme and I. It pains me that you felt as though no one cared for you as a person. Bella, you are a wonderful addition to our family, and in terms of the guard, you will never simply be a soldier." He was so earnest that tears sprung to my eyes, he took my hand in his, "You are my daughter in all ways but blood, and will be seen as such." He kissed my forehead, "We shall leave you to your sleep, dear one, Jasper will be back soon, would you like me to send him to you when he returns?"

"Yes, please, as long as that is what he wants?"

"Trust me, child, he did not want to leave you in the first place." He got up to leave; Esme left me a parting kiss on my cheek before joining him.

"Father?" I called out.

"Yes, Bella?"

"I love you too."

His smile was blinding, and Esme's matched it. He nodded and left, Esme came back for another kiss and a tight hug, "We are so very proud of you, Bella." Then she too left and I settled down to sleep.

 _J~A~S~P~E~R_

I didn't go far; the need to get back to Bella was greater than my need to feed. A couple of bucks from the local herd, a few trees were now splinters, and I was on my way back. Hopefully she would be asleep now; there was no sense in talking to her tonight. With all the shit that had gone on, she needed to sleep it off. I arrived back at the house; the wolves were all asleep, leaving a house full of vampires. I went straight up to check on Bella. She was tucked into her bed like a small child; she looked like an angel and was snoring softly as she slept. I kissed her lightly on her forehead, smiling when she mumbled my name in her sleep.

Peter met me when I got back downstairs. "Come on Brother, it's time for that talk."

I nodded and followed him outside. The night air was cool; it was coming up to mid-September, the day before Bella's birthday. I tried not to think about what would have happened had I not overheard Edward and Alice's conversation.

"She blocked you." Peter wasn't asking me, just pointing it out, but I nodded anyway.

"Yeah, completely. It was...disconcerting. My read on her faded away, it was only through talking her down from her panic that she opened back up. Before that I had no effect on her whatsoever."

"Her shield has evolved again." He pointed out and I nodded in agreement, "She's lacking in any natural wariness of our kind…but has the subconscious of a strategic genius."

"It's a hell of a survival technique, she does so much without even realising it." I pondered, still in awe of my mate.

"She's a wonder, all right."

"My Bella, weak in her human state, but harbouring an innate power to fight off our kind. Literally. If she's blocking me…"

"Then she's developing a physical facet to her defence." Peter finished off my sentence, "Time to step up her training, General McSparklePants. She's got the mental defence down, time to help her find the physical trigger."

"If she can learn to control that response then her change will be sooner rather than later." Which would be very, very welcome. Shield or not, I'd feel infinitely better if she were near indestructible to go along with it. Thinking ahead, I added, "We'll need to get back to Volterra for her change; it'll be the safest place for her and us."

"If the Romanians get wind that her change is imminent they'll make a try for her." Peter warned, his expression darkening, "They need our little bird human in order to manipulate her properly."

"They're going to be desperate."

"They'd need her strong and on their side in record time. There ain't gonna be time for the tried and tested ways of brainwashing…we have all of those that she loves safely tucked away. They'll have to be more straight forward."

Now that's food for thought, I wish we knew exactly what their plans are. But, no, that'd be too fucking easy.

"Fuck," Cursing as I rub my hand over my face, "I'll feel a lot more relaxed once we have her secured and changed. They'll have spies on the lookout, they'll know as soon as we hit Italian soil. They might not know where we are now, but they'll sure as shit know when we take her home."

"I agree, the journey between landing in Italy and reaching Volterra will be where the shit is most likely to hit the fan."

"Then we have a full contingent of the guard to meet us, we'll already have all of us." I turned back to the house, "Carlisle, can you join us?"

Carlisle joined us quickly and we filled him in on what we had talked about, he was especially interested in Bella's ability to block me. This is what we had been hoping for, that by helping Bella reach as much of her full potential as possible while still human and malleable, she would be that much stronger and versatile at the beginning, than had we simply changed her.

"I would recommend that you don't push Bella to train tomorrow. I can't imagine that she will suffer bad side effects of her drinking, but she won't be up to par when she wakes up." I smiled, Carlisle was taking full advantage of having a human charge. Someone that he could truly look after and father.

"Yes, of course. There is also the matter of the wolves, as well as a couple of others things that I need to talk to her about." I knew it was time to explain about my past and my role within the Volturi.

Not a conversation that I was looking forward to. At all. Even with the knowledge of Alice's lies, I found it difficult to forget all of the times she had insisted that my past would scare and disgust Bella. But I'm shit out of time in the waiting department.

Carlisle smiled, "Yes, I do believe that she will have quite a shock when she learns about Jacob's pack. I wish there was some way to shoulder some of this for her, I hate that we keep having to pile on more and more shocking information."

There was nothing I could say to that, we all felt the same. Bella's strength only made me love her more. It takes an extraordinary person to be able to deal with all the shit that she's gone through lately and not break. Bella had almost shut down completely earlier on; it was something that I wanted to avoid happening again. At all costs.

Dawn was breaking over the horizon and Bella was still sleeping peacefully. She was officially 18 years old today. It is something that should be celebrated, but I knew her hatred of anything birthday related. I was pretty much at a loss of what to do. Carlisle had gone back into the house to confer with Eleazar and his fellow Elders as to the best way to ensure Bella's safety. Peter was still with me, staring at me with a damn annoying and knowing smirk plastered across his features.

"Just spit it out, Peter, if I didn't know better I'd worry you might piss yourself otherwise."

He laughed, "Bella's got you tied up in knots, ain't she?"

Well that was the understatement of the century, "Yeah, you could say that. What she did earlier, man I was about to fucking lose it. I felt like an ass though when she stalked out and started crying."

"I think Emmett noticed more than any of us how pissed you were about the whole situation." He smirked, "You know you'll have to give him his thumbs back when he leaves, don't you?"

"Yeah, but fuck me if I'm not tempted to take the damn things back when they return."

"He's learned his lesson; your words stung more than losing two of his digits." Ah, he was all serious now.

"Yeah, alright, I may have cut him with all that I said. But there's no denying the truth in my words, man. He needs to learn, he's the one that wants to advance through the Guard. He can't pull shit like that, how the hell did he expect me to react? He was lucky it was his thumbs that I took and not his legs."

"So...what have you got planned for Bella's birthday?"

Ah, the question of the hour, what the hell to do for a woman that doesn't like birthdays or being the centre of attention or being the recipient of presents. Especially expensive presents. There were a couple of things that I was thinking of.

"Fuck knows, what do you get for a woman that hates presents? I can't keep it low key, they're way too many people here to do that. But I want to get her something, I've just got no freaking idea what."

He laughed, the helpful fucker that he is, "Just go with your gut, we'll all be travelling out tomorrow. The girls are planning on taking Bella to some mall shopping centre thing to pick her present. You'll find something there. In fact, we all will. So quit worrying and concentrate on stopping her thinking that you're mad at her."

"Fuck. Right, you're right. Ok, let's get in and worry about this when Bella wakes up."

"Sure thing, Bro, sure thing."

 _B~E~L~L~A_

I woke up still in the exact same position I was when I went to sleep. I didn't feel too bad, until I tried to move and then my only thought was along the lines of; urgh. It wasn't too bad, if I were honest. My head hurt and my stomach felt like it might rebel, but mostly I just felt stodgy. There was no memory lapse from the night before and I wasn't sure that that was the best thing. It all played in my mind and I remembered everything. I also knew that it was my birthday. Not good.

So I made a plan. A simple plan. My plan basically consisted of a shower, something to drink, and some breakfast. I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom. The shower was everything that I needed it to be and I felt so much better afterwards, but I was still in need of hydration and sustenance. I procrastinated in my room for as long as I could, but eventually my curiosity about Jake got the better of me and I made my way downstairs.

It was unusual for the house to be quiet, but there had never been quite this much noise. I wandered into the kitchen and was met with a similar scene as last night. Six, heavily muscled, half naked, and fucking _huge_ Native Americans were dotted around the kitchen. They were also the source of the unusually boisterous noise level. Jake saw me first and came straight over, all smiles and rippling muscles. Honestly, a girl's got to retain some brain power, but how the hell does one do that when surrounded by such hotness? Oh yes, one would remember the unbelievable gorgeous and sexy _vampire_ boyfriend.

I like my happy place.

"Bells! How're you feeling? Hangover?" Jake asked before picking me up and crushing me.

"Yeah, oxygen would be nice, Jake," I breathed out.

"Sorry, Bells. It's easy to forget. So...you gonna fill us in about last night? Any juicy gossip?"

"Juicy gossip? Have you turned into a teenage girl in my absence?" I joked, "Actually, I do have some gossip. You see, my childhood friend turned up last night, with five of his friends. All built like brick shit houses and insisting on walking about half naked. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

"You know, I just might. But tell me, Swan, do you know anything about the girl that's got herself entwined in the world of vampires?"

"Uh-huh, you first. What the hell are you doing here, and why the hell are you so damn big, and hot? I'm guessing you're not sick, but you feel like you're running a fever that'd bust a thermometer." He seemed to be having trouble gathering his thoughts. I wished he would just come out and say it; I mean what the hell can be more shocking than vampires? Especially when he was the one to clue me in on the secret...oh...oh! I was suddenly having one of those 'no...seriously?' moments. "You're a werewolf. Holy fucking shit on a stick, you are a werewolf!"

All sound ceased. Well at least I was perfecting the art of silencing a room. Jake looked a little stunned, but rather relieved...and a little worried about my reaction. All in all it made him look almost constipated. I guess the fact that I was staring at him like he'd just grown a second head wasn't helping much. But the fact was that all I could think of was the collection of werewolf teeth that was displayed in the living room, and the fact that we all carried at least one around with us at all times.

"Well, not werewolves exactly."

"What do you mean, not exactly?"

"Well, we turn into wolves, as in big wolves, whenever we want. We don't turn into rabid beasts every full moon. We're shape-shifters."

"Oh," Was my brilliant reply. "So we're not carrying around one of your relative's teeth then?"

He laughed, "No, not unless you have his dentures in your pocket."

I cringed, "Nope, definitely not! So, are you going to explain to me _why_ you're here?"

"We're here as part of your protection detail, Swan. Eddie has trouble reading our minds and Alice can't see our future, and we turn into giant, vampire chomping wolves. Kinda perfect really. Besides, your Dad made me promise to keep you safe whilst he's off getting his vamp on."

"Yo, Jake, you gonna introduce us or what?"

We turned back to the room, the five other wolves grinning back at us. "Sure, sure. If I have to. Bella, these sad fuckers are half of the Quillette wolf pack. Seth, Embry, Quil, Paul, and Brady. The others stayed behind to keep an eye on the Res."

I said my hi's and hello's as he pointed them out in turn, deciding that I really can't complain about being protecting by a bunch of hunks _and_ my incredible boyfriend. Speak of the Devil, Jasper came wandering in. I didn't mean to tense up; I just didn't know how to act around him this morning. _Good morning honey, sorry about my drunken behaviour last night, ripped anybody's fingers off lately?_ Yeah, I think not. He seemed to be equally as careful of me, not that I blamed him after my amazing display of alcohol fuelled mania.

Oh, fuck this. He's my man, this is stupid. Besides, it's my birthday and I get a 'get out of the drunk tank free' card. I may hate birthdays but I still take the right to invoke Birthday Law. Basically, what I say goes. At least, that's the theory. I wrapped myself around him, burying my face in his chest and squeezing as hard as I could. God, his scent, I could never tire of this. Never. Which is probably a good thing, what with the whole living for eternity thing.

"Happy Birthday, Darlin'."

Now, I hate my birthday, always have. I have always cringed at the sound of happy birthday wishes being directed my way. However, when my man says it in that sexy as anything Texas accent, all low and thick and smooth, it is without a doubt one of the best things that I have ever heard. _Hello, Bella, and welcome to hypocrisy_.

"Mmm, thank you, Baby."

He stiffened and pulled me away from him, staring into my face. It was comical really, he looked genuinely shocked. "So, you're OK with celebrating your birthday? No moaning, groaning, or begging not to do anything?"

I laughed and shrugged, "Well, we are going to have a chat later about what happened last night, but what can I say; you have an agreeable effect on me."

"Do I now?" He kissed me, lifting me up and off my feet so that he didn't have to bend down. "The plan for today is to take you shopping for your presents, no grouching, and tonight...well, tonight you're all mine."

Mmm...Happy Birthday to me!

An hour or so later I came wandering back downstairs, now decked out for comfort. Everyone was in the living room, which looked a hell of a lot smaller than it had a few days ago. The pack was sprawled out over the sofas and chairs, the vamps pretty much just stood about. But then, when you can hold any position for an infinite amount of time, finding somewhere to sit isn't a priority. Rose and Emmett were by the front door, a carryon bag each, talking with Carlisle and Jasper.

They would be leaving for Denali momentarily; I had questioned Jasper about Rose's tracking gifts. He's said that it was difficult to class it as a gift or a power, like my shield or his empathy, as it was akin to James in that she had heightened senses. Demetri, however, can track anyone that he has ever met and he can track them wherever they are. Until now, of course, what with the twat twins nefarious use of my blood he is still unable to get a read on them or any of their known affiliates. Apparently Irina has disappeared off of his radar also. I can't say that I am impressed by my blood right now.

What I was getting at earlier is that Rose and Demetri can combine their efforts to give a kind of power up. When he said it, I got a vision of Mario jumping about collecting roses so he could sniff shit out. The Volturi had only utilised this when they needed to find a vampire or person that Demetri had never met, but that Rose had sampled their scent. That, of course, has left me with a picture of Rose as a bloodhound.

Now, that's a thought to keep a girl smiling.

However, it worked, it meant that Demetri could get a feel for the target, even if he'd never met them to get a feel for their mind. Apparently, a pair of vampires being able to combine or bolster another's gift is not that unheard of. Jane's power, for example, only works on one target at a time, but if she works with her twin brother they are able to shift the focus to a larger group. In this case, they were hoping that by working together, Rose and Demetri would be able to track the gruesome twosome. As far as I know, my blood can't wipe away someone's scent. It sounded like a viable plan to me.

I had been worried about Emmett being sent away without his thumbs, but Jasper assured me that they would be returned to him for the mission, even if he couldn't promise me that he wouldn't take them back once it was completed. As subdued as Emmett had been since last night, he was excited to be getting out in the field. I have a feeling that he is going to try and prove Jasper's words wrong.

We all left together, climbing into the various cars and setting off for my birthday shopping trip. I had been told, in no uncertain terms, that they all knew of my dislike for gifts, being the centre of attention, and my birthday in general; but that I am a part of the family and will be treated as such. I think Peter's exact words were 'you're gonna be spoiled, get used to it.' When you're being told something by a room full of vampires, all with faces showing no room for argument, you kind of just shrug and agree. I'll grumble in private later.

We had been in the car all of two minutes before Jake piped up from the seat behind mine, "So, Bells...what did you get up to last night? You know, aside from wondering about vampires nipples."

I groaned, how the hell did he know about that? Emmett and his big gob! "How'd you find out about that?"

"We were all in the room with Jasper during his phone call; we _all_ heard everything you said," he chuckled. Bastard was enjoying this way too damn much.

"Yeah, well, it seemed like a good question at the time." To be honest, it was something that I had thought about a while ago.

How could I not want it answered? But that had brought up countless other questions to mind. Like, if vampires nipples are so hard, then how the hell do they not just break out all the time? Or are they softer than the rest of the body, like a human? Or the other question that was bouncing around my head was, are they hard all the time? As in the men and their manly...bits, obviously, they get erections, but surely it wouldn't feel soft to me in its inert state? Should I be even thinking about these things?

 _Bella Swan, vampire sex enthusiast._ Yes, please.

"Of all the questions to ask though, Bella. So, how the hell did you end up drunk anyway? You've never struck me as the type to get wasted."

I sunk a little further in my seat as I remembered last nights antics. Apparently, a little alcohol leads to more alcohol.

"After Emmett had so unceremoniously kidnapped me, wound me up by making me think he was taking me to Edward and Alice, and laughed his non-beating heart out at my reaction, he took me to this pub called The Royal Oak. I didn't want to go in, but he pulled out the puppy dog eyes and dimples routine and I agreed to one drink."

"Hang on a goddamn minute; he had you thinking he was kidnapping you for real? What the fuck did he do?" Jasper growled out from beside me, taking his eyes off the road, his very dark, very angry eyes. I think he may have been rethinking his decision to give Emmett his thumbs back.

"I was rambling on about how you were going to go mad and eventually got to thinking about Irina. So, I asked, and he glared at me. Like full on, scary ass vampire glare. He let it go on for a few minutes before finally caving and letting me in on the joke. Anyway, I'm over it, so calm down." He just grumbled something under his breath and looked back to the road, I shook my head and continued with my story. "So, anyway, we get in there and we get talking to the barmaid. Emmett let's it slip that I've never drank before, and for whatever reason this excites Becky, the barmaid and she starts rattling off various drinks that she thinks I should try. So, I settle for Jack Daniels and coke, mostly because it smelled nice. By this time the landlord, Stuart, had joined us. He and Emmett got into some in depth discussion about some computer program or another."

I have no idea about the specifics; I tend to tune out as soon as acronyms start being thrown about. Makes me go crossed eyed otherwise.

"So there I was, chatting away with Becky, who just refilled my glass without being asked. I didn't think much of it, it was a nice drink and I didn't feel any different so what was the harm, right? So, she's bending over the bar, and I swear that her breasts are about to pop out of her top," I had found it very difficult to look anywhere other than at her mammoth melons that seemed intent on spilling out of her shirt. Like, seriously, they were defying gravity. "She's yammering on about her boyfriend of the moment and I was steadily sipping my drink, which she refills again when I've finished. Of course, Emmett has simply put his card behind the bar. Again, I think nothing of it and continue to chat and drink. It was a quiet night, only one other bloke in there besides Emmett and I, so Stuart opened up the pool table and he and Emmett played a few games."

They'd offered me a game, but I didn't think me with a big stick and hard balls was the way to an accident free evening. Insert obvious innuendo here.

"Fuck knows what drink I was on by then, I'd stopped caring to be honest. That should have been my first clue." I paused when Jasper grumbled something again and then decided to ignore him, "Becky started telling me about this shot called Sambuca, and I was up for trying anything at that point. But Emmett said no, he actually used the words that he was cutting me off. I wasn't even that bad then." I laughed to myself, remembering what was coming next, "So I waited a few minutes before reminding Em that he should make at least one trip to the bathroom. You know, keeping up the human pretences and all that. Being the good little vampire-pretending-to-be-human that he is, he went straight to the restroom. I took the chance and signalled to Becky to get me that shot. Which she did. And it was yummy! It was soon after that that the giggling began. I was halfway through this cocktail she'd given me called a 'cheeky vimto' when Emmett came up behind me and dragged me out of there."

I chose not to divulge the part about Stuart 'teaching' me how to play pool, or the fact that Emmett just snickered at my alarmed expression during the 'lesson'. Nope, didn't think that would go down too well.

"The last time I got hammered, I tried to swim across the road." Jake suddenly blurted out.

I spun around in my seat to look at him properly, "How the hell do you swim across a road?"

"I didn't say that I got very far," he laughed.

"Didn't get very far? You were sprawled near the curb, balancing on your stomach with your arms and legs attempting the breaststroke. You didn't _get_ anywhere!" Paul shouted out in laughter from beside Jake.

"Yeah, you're one to talk. I know you don't remember the time that you let Emily and Kim dress you in your mom's clothes and make-up, but we do. We also have the photos to prove it."

Paul shut up after that. Unsurprisingly.

"What about you, Jasper? You got any drunken tales from before you went all cold, stone like, and venomous?" Jake asked.

Jasper didn't say anything at first, and I wondered if he could actually remember anything from his human days. His smirk, however, told me that he could think of something. I upped my curiosity, or at least tried to, I'm not sure what the outcome was because he just gave me a really funny look before speaking.

"Actually, no, I don't remember any or even if there were any human drunken escapades."

"That there is an interesting way of wording your reply, are you insinuating that vampires can get drunk?"

"You didn't know? Of course, you didn't know. I doubt Edward has touched a dram of whisky, or any other alcohol, in his existence. Yes, we can drink, it takes a lot and a high proof is best, but we can get drunk. I wouldn't recommend anything even remotely fizzy, straight spirits are the most effective and comfortable. Once you're changed, there will be a celebration in Volterra to introduce you, you'll witness it first hand then."

I frowned, "Why can't you show me now?"

"It's probably not the best idea for you to be around those who's inhibitions have been lowered, Darlin'," he said with a smirk. Then I remembered what else he had said, and not with just a little bit of trepidation.

"And why does there need to be a celebration?" I may have whined, I definitely felt like sulking.

"You will be introduced to the rest of the Guard as Carlisle's newest daughter and my mate; as much as you hate it...you're a big deal, a very big deal."

"Hang on, I'll be introduced as Carlisle's daughter...which I have no problem thinking myself as or being treated as...but what about my _actual_ dad? What about Charlie?"

"Look, we're here now, let's concentrate on seeing how many times we can get you to blush and scowl." Right on cue, that was exactly what I did, "There you go, I'm already ahead one. C'mon, Darlin', I wanna spoil you."

I gulped, he was doing that voice thing again, and being the weakling that I was I melted and simply nodded my head. But I had not forgotten his obvious evasion to my question about Charlie. I looked out the window; we were driving into a covered cark park structure. I nearly pissed myself laughing when someone driving the wrong way round tried to pull into a spot that Jasper was coveting, the glare that Jasper gave them was all it took for the driver to start scrambling to reverse and drive away.

Once Jasper had parked he turned to the two wolf-boys in the back, "You two need to be with Bella at all times," they both smirked and winked at me, I rolled my eyes, "within reason of course." Jasper growled out quickly, Jake and Paul's grins faded a little and I stuck my tongue out at them but resisted the urge to start a round of 'ne ner ne ner ne ner!' "We're not expecting anyone, so if you spy any unknown vamps then you contact me or Peter. Got it?"

I ended up lost in thoughts of dressing Jasper up in military garb; ooh maybe I could play his subordinate...his naughty subordinate. No, I think I like the idea of being the one of higher rank...hmm General Bella invites Captain Whitlock to her...

"Bella!" I jumped so high I banged my head on the roof of the car, which for a Range Rover is pretty damn high!

"What? Did you have to scare the shit out of me?" I exclaimed as I rubbed the top of my head and glared at my two bodyguards who were currently sniggering at me. "What the hell are you two laughing about, huh? I think one of the things I'll buy today is a set of matching black suits and black sunglasses and make you at least look like a pair of bodyguards instead of a couple of giggling teenage girls."

They just laughed harder. Well, we'll see fucker one and fucker two...suits here we come. And maybe some itching powder to line them with.

"You ok there, Darlin'? Sorry for yelling but you zoned out there, I'd been trying to get your attention for a couple of minutes."

I laughed, all nervous and embarrassed knowing that he would at least know that my thoughts weren't exactly pure, "Oh yeah, that, sorry I was just away with the fairies. Let's go shopping! Yay!" Hey, at least I tried to sound enthusiastic.

An hour later I had both of them trussed up in bodyguard chic, they weren't happy bunnies. I was. It did, however, backfire quite quickly. It seems that whispers had started that I was some celebrity and I was starting to get uncomfortable in the face of all the attention.

Carmen came over to me when she spied me hiding behind my hair and anything else I could find, "Bella, sweetie, may I give you some advice?"

I nodded, "Sure."

"You are a beautiful woman, whatever else you might think. I do not say this to try and make you feel better; it is simply a fact that you have a wonderful natural beauty and shine. It is your birthday, a day that should be celebrated and taken advantage of. Hold your head up high and walk like you own this place, not like you wish to dissolve into the walls. No one here knows you but us, nor will you ever see them again. Take advantage of that, my dear."

With that she gave me a tight hug and kissed my hair, before returning to Eleazar's side. I thought about Carmen's kind words, and damn it if she wasn't right. I shed my jacket, leaving myself in a pair of skinny low rise jeans that were such a dark red they were almost black and a tight black shirt that set off my boobs nicely. I'd picked the outfit with Jasper in mind and then thrown my jacket over the top to hide till we were back at home. Now, in the light of Carmen's advice, I was prepared to show it off.

Carmen's smile was blinding and her husband hugged her to his side tightly, whispering something to her that made her smile wider. I had only spent a very short amount of time with Carmen and Tanya this morning, but it amazed me how warm they both were. Jasper took my coat and handed it off to someone else, I didn't care who or where it ended up because all I could see was the heat in his quickly darkening eyes.

Then his hands were on me, one at the small of my back that caused my back to bend backwards slightly and the other cupping the back of my neck. He leaned down and captured my lips, all Hollywood and fairy tale as he tipped me. In front of everyone, the whole damn mall. Did I care? Not in the slightest.

He pulled away and stood me upright, still keeping his hands on me and taking my breath away with his smile. I had never felt so fluffy in my entire life.

"You are so beautiful, Bella, but to see this confidence in your stance is nothing less than awe inspiring. Plus, your ass looks so damn sexy in these jeans; I just wanna rip them off you right now so I can feel your skin beneath my hands."

Holy fucking shit. Holy fucking shiiiiiit. I mean, way to ruin an incredibly romantic moment but, _holy fucking shit._

"Er...guys? You're attracting an audience," Jake informed us.

The world kind of spun back into focus and I looked around, my cheeks flaming and a stupid smile on my face. People had stopped to stare or were walking so slowly that they may as well have just stopped too. And I couldn't give a flying monkey's left testicle, as Emmett had delighted in saying last night when I'd been asking for another drink. My smile widened and I stepped back from Jasper and gave a small wave, before taking his hand and motioning for my two pet bodyguards to follow me as I walked off. Everyone fell into step behind us as if we had an immaculately beautiful entourage following us. I had my head held high and my back straight, it was fucking awesome.

Jasper directed us to our next stop, Selfridges. It took up a huge amount of space within the Trafford Centre, spanning over two floors and incorporating everything from clothes to food. It was all high end designer and beautiful, and no doubt stupendously expensive, but for the first time in my life I didn't care. I just didn't fucking care.

Fuck cloud 9, I was on cloud Jasper.

I bypassed the food and Jasper dragged me past the kitchen paraphernalia, and I was suddenly surrounded by clothing. To be honest, I didn't recognise most of the names around me apart from the obvious like Chanel and Dior, but it's not like I'm some kind of label whore so it hardly mattered. Almost immediately Jasper and I were approached by a smartly dressed woman, looking as though she may have run over to us, going off her slightly laboured breathing.

"Good morning, I would like to welcome you to Selfridges, Miss Stewart; my name is Vanessa Harris and will be at your service for whatever you might require during your visit." She held her hand out to me and smiled a perfectly professional smile. I was stumped, who the hell did she think I was?

Luckily for me, Jasper jumped in and saved me, "She will be going by Bella today, we are attempting to go incognito, you understand."

Incognito, shit, he's playing along and I'm still playing deer in the headlights. Jasper sent me a burst of confidence and reassurance, just enough to remind me of what I had been feeling earlier and to make me follow his lead.

"Oh, of course," her eyes flitted to my bodyguards and onto the rest of the party, obviously wondering how all of this was possibly incognito, but she chose to ignore that part and turned back to me, " _Bella_ , is there anything in particular that you are looking for today?"

And then it began. Charley jumped in talking about outfits and accessories and all other kinds of stuff. It was almost a foreign language to me. Tanya jumped on the bandwagon and started ordering people about, and I found myself in a comfy chair with someone doing my makeup and even massaging my feet. The only thing that stopped me from returning to my inner miser was the shock; I almost panicked when Jasper announced that he would be gone for a short amount of time. Apparently, he wanted my gift to be a surprise. Esme took over holding my hand and keeping me calm whilst the men left, leaving Jake and Paul standing towards the back and trying not to look uncomfortable.

When shopping with Alice she would throw me into a changing room and pummel me with various different outfits, all the while telling me how I should dress better and even the odd jibe about me _almost_ having a flat stomach. Bitch. This time I was lead to a spacious room, three of the walls which were mirrored from floor to ceiling. There was a plush couch and a long clothing rail off to the side, now covered with clothes. The overeager sales assistants that had gathered around us earlier were all waiting outside and I was able to breathe properly for the first time in over an hour.

Esme, Carmen, Tanya, Kate, Charley, and I all stood there, quietly staring at each other. It was me that broke, bursting out laughing so hard that I bent over and slapped my knees before collapsing onto the couch. The others soon followed suit, of course being the vampires that they are none of them collapsed anywhere, but the level of mirth was the same.

"What the hell was all of that?" I asked when I had finally caught my breath.

"That, my dear, is what happens when people think you are important. Now. you have many things to try on, let us get on with it before they insist on barging in here," Esme told me, gently but firmly and who am I to say no to my mother? It also helped that I was rather enjoying getting spoiled like this. The attention wasn't too bad, my 'entourage' shielded me from most of it, leaving me to sit through foot massages and a mani pedi. It's a hard life.

The clothes were amazing and even I could admit that they looked good on me, especially a black strappy dress by D&G. It cinched me in at the waist and made my curves stand out, for the first time in my life I didn't care how much something cost. I wanted this.

I couldn't stop admiring myself in the mirrors, turning left and right and grinning like a fool.

"That one is a must have, Bella, no arguments," Charley called out from behind me.

"Oh you'll get no arguments out of me, I love this."

There was a knock on the door, followed by Vanessa requesting entrance, which we granted. She walked in, smile in place and gasped when she saw me.

"My, you look beautiful. Do you have shoes to match? I can have some sent in that would go perfectly with that."

I balked, shoes? Shoes to go with dresses means heels. Me in heels means emergency room visits.

"That would be wonderful, but a low heel is required, Bella has difficulty walking in anything above three inches." Kate piped up. I glared at her, three inches? I fall over in flat shoes, what the hell does she think will happen with three inches?

"Of course, I am also here to inform you that these and any further choices during your visit will be covered by Selfridges. Is there anything that you require? Something to eat or drink perhaps?"

"Yes, if you could have a selection of food brought in and some orange juice; freshly squeezed and smooth is preferable. Also, some champagne would go down very well, I think." I gaped at Esme as she stood there giving out orders.

Vanessa nodded and left, but not before assuring us that the shoe selection would be with us momentarily.

"Free? Did she say that they are going to give me all of this and whatever else I want for _free_?" It was one thing accepting things as gifts. It was quite another to get it all for free. Free? Who the hell do they think I am? Pfft, fuck it. Bring it on.

By the time we made it out of the changing rooms, all of our bags being delivered to our cars, I was a tad tipsy. I accept no blame; it was all the champagnes fault. I wasn't drunk by any means, I was merry. It was nice. Also, apparently, I was a lot more amenable to receiving gifts and adding to our tally of freebies in this state. I had five purses, who the fuck needs five purses? Apparently I do. Who knew?

I was getting bored though, bored and tired and I needed to find a pharmacy to grab some monthly essentials that I would need soon. I had asked Vanessa if there was a chemist or something similar here, and she gave me directions to somewhere called 'Boots', which was where we were headed to now.

I wandered into 'Boots' intent on the task at hand, all I needed was some sanitary products and we could be on our way. Hence the reason for me leaving everyone else waiting outside. Now I may have been a little buzzed from the champagne, nothing to write home about, but I was pleasantly mellowed out. However, I still spied three teens following me around. I tried to ignore them, and they were obviously trying to follow me without my knowledge. That was a huge fail, what with their incessant giggling and grabbing onto one another when they got overexcited. I just tried to block them and their whispers out; they were currently goading each other into coming to speak with me.

It would be a lot easier if I knew who it was that they thought _I_ was.

I finally spied what I needed when one of the three girls was suddenly pushed forward by the other two. Oh, God, I made eye contact and involuntarily smiled. Shit, she's coming over! I was like a rabbit caught in headlights; I had no one to field questions for me. I briefly wondered if I should just make a run for it, I even glanced around and then stopped dead when I looked out of the windows at the front of the store. The guys had arrived back and they were laughing at me; or at my predicament at least. Bastards! Well, I'll show them.

I quickly picked up what I needed and waited for the nervous girl to get to me. She didn't say anything at first, just breathing heavily and smiling like she would be more at home at the funny farm. Her eyes were so wide that I actually started to get worried about her, and then she started talking.

"Oh my god, on my god, you're Kristen Stewart! I LOVE YOU! I wasn't going to come over but then you smiled at me so I thought it would be ok and is there any chance of getting an autograph and maybe even a picture because no one is going to believe that I met you otherwise I will be the envy of Facebook and Twitter and this is just so amazing you're just so amazing I love your movies you're such a good actress and your autograph would be like the best thing ever to happen to me ever!"

I stopped her there because she hadn't taken a breath and was starting to turn purple, "Whoa there! Do you have something that I could sign?"

She started scrabbling about in her bag, first handing me a pen before diving back into her bag with a desperation I had never seen before. The next thing she handed to me was a camera, probably not the best idea to have any pictures taken. Nope, my face being plastered across the celebrity pages or on the news probably wouldn't help with the whole lying low and not being found by the bad guys thing. I was starting to get a little desperate, her friends looked like they were getting the courage to come over and I only had so much patience for squealing girls that spoke at the speed of light.

"A-HA! Yes, here, sign this please."

I took what she pushed towards me, handing her back the camera as I did, to head off any possible juggling act that might occur. A quick glance at my family and I saw that Peter and my pet bodyguards were still sniggering. Jasper was just smiling at me, so no complaints there and Charley seemed to be smacking Peter round the back of his head every so often. Good times. I went to sign, or should I say; commit fraud, when I saw what she had handed me to sign.

It was a box. A box of anal beads. _Anal beads._ I glanced up at her smiling face and hoped like hell that I had underestimated her age, because she looked no older than fifteen. She also didn't look even remotely embarrassed, where as my eyebrows where in my hair and I was pretty sure that my face was on fire.

She giggled and winked at me, "It'll give me something to think about when I use them."

I need another drink.

I swallowed, nodded, autographed her anal beads box, and handed it back to her with a smile. When she got her camera back out I was close to panicking. _Need to get away from the anal beads, need to get away from the anal beads._

"No pictures, miss." Came a deep voice from behind me as Jake stepped forward and grabbed her camera, my tampons, and went to complete the purchase as Paul escorted me out.

I didn't argue. Nope, no arguments from me on this one.

As soon as I made it outside, I asked Charley to smack Peter again and pretty much ran into Jasper's cold embrace. I pressed my face into his chest and genuinely wondered if steam was coming off my cheeks at the contrast in temperatures.

He wrapped me his arms around me and laughed out, "Did you have fun, Sweetheart?" He kissed me lightly, "Champagne?"

I shrugged, "Just a couple and after what just happened in there I'm glad I have alcohol in my system." And because I could and I wanted to, I kissed him again. Heaven.

"So, Bella, you have to let us in on the secret because Peter refused to tell us what had him laughing so damn hard," Kate asked.

I broke all previous blushing records and hid in Jasper's chest, deciding that playing ostrich was as good a plan as any right at that moment.

"You're not gonna tell them, Bella? Why ever not?" I turned my head, slowly, in Jake's direction and snatched the Boots bag out of his hand when he offered it to me. They'd seen, of course they'd seen it. I think I hate him right now.

"Jake, put us out of our misery here, it can't be that bad," Kate prompted.

I begged with everything that I had in my eyes for him not to say anything, and all he did was smirk.

"She signed a box of anal beads."

Yep, hate him with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.

I think I groaned, I know I was swearing at him and begging Jasper to get me out of there at the same time. The whole group was roaring with laughter, I was also longing for a baseball bat so that when I hit him, it'll actually hurt him a little and not injure me in the process. Jasper, being the gallant southern gentleman that he is, swung me up and into his arms and briskly walked me out of the mall and towards the car. I, being the over embarrassed coward that I now was, hid my face in the crook of his neck and concentrated on sniffing him. Always an enjoyable pastime.

"What the fuck? Bella, did you buy out the whole store?" I heard Jasper ask.

I looked up to see what all the ruckus was about and burst out laughing, the trunk was completely filled with bags, and so was most of the backseat and it was the same for the other two vehicles Jake and Paul are gonna be squished as hell on the way back.

"Oh yeah, my new found celebrity status left them clamouring to _give_ me all this stuff for free. Just call me the queen of freebies, baby!"

"Honestly, woman, only you could get yourself in a mess like this." I was expecting Esme to chastise him for his use of 'woman' but she wasn't here and I kinda liked it.

"So, you still have me all to yourself tonight...that is if you still want me?" I asked coyly. "I need something to help me forget the last ten minutes of my life." .

His smile made my knees weak, "Oh, I think I can handle that."

* * *

 **E/N: so there you go, let me know what you think! Also, anyone got any funny drunk stories? They're always good entertainment!**

 **E/N 2016: I still want the drunk stories, lol. Thanks for reading and leave me some love!**


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